The derbies of Argentine football are characterized by historical rivalries and the intense passion of the clubs' supporters. A distinction is usually made between historic and modern derbies; the latter emerge when at least one of the teams already had a previous rivalry with another club, eventually becoming their new primary derby. In some cases, these new rivalries gain momentum as the importance of historic derbies diminishes due to a lack of regular matches, especially when clubs compete in different divisions for prolonged periods.
Matches between the so-called "Big Five" (in alphabetical order: Boca Juniors, Independiente, Racing Club, River Plate and San Lorenzo de Almagro) are also considered derbies, although historically not all of them have viewed each other as arch-rivals (with the exception of Boca and River in the Superclásico, and Independiente and Racing in the Avellaneda derby).
Football is the most popular sport in Argentina. This leads to derbies being followed with great interest, in some cases even beyond the country's borders. The most notable historical rivalries are outlined below.
Superderby
The Superderby (Superclásico) is the most important football match in Argentina, contested between the two most popular and successful clubs in the country: Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Both clubs are based in the city of Buenos Aires, and the match draws the attention of large crowds not only in Argentina, but in many countries around the world. It is recognized by many for the passion displayed by the fans both during the match and in the build-up.
Although it is a nationwide derby—given that the two clubs command approximately 70% of the country's football fans between them—this rivalry began as a neighborhood dispute in the early 20th century, when both clubs shared the La Boca district. It has had numerous chapters that have gone down in the history of Argentine sport, both positive and negative.
Head-to-head record This table includes all official matches recognized by the AFA and CONMEBOL. When a match is decided by a penalty shootout, the result after 90 minutes (or 120 if extra time was played) is counted as the final score, regardless of the eventual winner; goals scored in the shootout are not added to the goal count.
Updated to the last match played on November 9, 2025.
Competition Matches River Draw Boca River Goals Boca Goals Primera División 217 73 65 79 277 294 National cups 16 5 8 3 18 14 Copa Libertadores 28 9 8 11 26 32 Other international cups 4 1 3 0 2 1 Total 265 88 84 93 323 341
Avellaneda derby
The Avellaneda derby (clásico de Avellaneda) is the football match between Independiente and Racing Club. It is widely considered the second most important rivalry in Argentine football. Both clubs are based in the city of Avellaneda (part of the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area) and their stadiums are located less than 300 meters apart, intensifying a historic rivalry that dates back to the early 20th century.
Racing was founded in Avellaneda in 1903 (when the city was still named Barracas al Sud), while Independiente was established in neighboring Buenos Aires in 1904 (officially 1905). After relocating its home ground several times across different neighborhoods, Independiente settled in Avellaneda in 1907. The first official match between the two resulted in a shock 3–2 win for Independiente. This result sparked the rivalry that continues to this day.
Avellaneda is one of the few cities in the world to be home to two World Champion football clubs. This derby holds the distinction of being the first to be contested between two Copa Libertadores winners, as well as the first Argentine derby played between two Intercontinental Cup champions.
Head-to-head record This table includes all official matches recognized by the AFA and CONMEBOL.
Updated to the last match played on March 16, 2025.
Competition Matches Independiente Draw Racing Ind. Goals Racing Goals Primera División 216Does not include the match on June 22, 1919 (1–1), which was subsequently annulled. 84 70 62 327 276In 1915, Independiente won 2–1, but the match was awarded to Racing due to the ineligible fielding of a player. The goals scored in that match are not counted in the historical record. Second Division 2 1 0 1 1 1 National cups 17 4 6 7 17 21 Copa Libertadores 2 0 1 1 1 2 Total 237 89 77 71 346 300
Rosario derby
The Rosario derby (clásico rosarino) is the football match between the two most successful clubs in the city of Rosario: Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central. It is widely considered the most important derby in Argentina between clubs not based in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.
The rivalry dates back to 1905, when the first official match ended in a 1–0 victory for Newell's. Since then, the clubs have faced each other in various competitions, including the local Rosario Football League, the Argentine Primera División, national cups, and international CONMEBOL tournaments.
The teams' nicknames originate from a well-known incident in the 1920s, when Rosario Central allegedly refused to play a charity match for a leprosy clinic, earning them the moniker Canallas (Scoundrels). Newell's Old Boys stepped in to play the game and were subsequently dubbed Los Leprosos (The Lepers).
Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central are the only clubs from the interior of Argentina (outside Greater Buenos Aires) to have won official AFA national titles in both the Primera División and national cups. Furthermore, both institutions have been recognized by FIFA as "Classic Clubs" of Argentine football, an honor held by only 11 clubs in the country.
The derby is renowned for its intense passion and historical rivalry. Several sociological studies on football indicate that Rosario is one of the few urban areas in Argentina—along with La Plata, Santa Fe, Córdoba, and San Miguel de Tucumán—where the local clubs surpass the popularity of the nation's two giants, River Plate and Boca Juniors.
Head-to-head record This table includes all official matches recognized by the AFA, CONMEBOL, and the Rosario Football League.
Updated to the last match played on August 23, 2025.
Competition Matches Newell's Draw Central Newell's Goals Central Goals Primera División 178Includes two matches where AFA declared a loss for both teams due to fan violence. 43 79 56 183 211 National cups 21 4 3 14 13 42 Provincial cups 2 0 2 0 0 0 Regional leagues & cups 75Includes 4 matches played for the Copa Pinasco (1905–1906), which corresponded to the second division of the Rosario League at the time. 29 19 27 108 132 Copa Libertadores 3 0 2 1 2 3 Other international cups 2 0 1 1 0 1 Total 281 76 106 99 306 389
Huracán – San Lorenzo de Almagro
The derby between Huracán and San Lorenzo de Almagro is historically known as the "Porteño derby" (Clásico porteño). It originated from the geographic proximity of the two clubs, which are rooted in bordering districts in the south of Buenos Aires. For decades, their stadiums were located just eight blocks (approx. 500 meters) apart.
While it began as a local rivalry, it has grown to become one of the most significant matches in Argentine football, often cited as the third most important derby in the country after the Superclásico and the Avellaneda derby. Both institutions are among the oldest and most successful in Argentina, and both are recognized by FIFA as "Classic Clubs" of the country.
San Lorenzo was founded in April 1908 in the Almagro neighborhood, but soon moved to Boedo, where its iconic stadium, the Viejo Gasómetro, stood until 1979. In 1993, the club inaugurated its current stadium, the Nuevo Gasómetro, in the nearby Flores district. Huracán was founded in November 1908 in Nueva Pompeya and later established its headquarters and stadium in Parque Patricios, a neighborhood that borders Boedo.
The rivalry permeates the literature and daily life of these southern Buenos Aires neighborhoods. Although San Lorenzo has historically dominated the head-to-head record and is considered one of the "Big Five" of Argentine football with a massive nationwide fanbase, Huracán has maintained its status as a fiercely traditional rival, especially during the amateur era when it was a dominant force.
Head-to-head record This table includes all official matches recognized by the AFA.
Updated to the last match played on February 8, 2026.
Competition Matches Huracán Draw San Lorenzo Huracán Goals San Lorenzo Goals Primera División 177One match in 1997 was declared a loss for both teams due to crowd violence. 46 47 83 217 312 National cups 16 3 9 4 16 17 Total 193 49 56 87 233 329
La Plata derby
The La Plata derby (Clásico platense), also known as the "Derby of the diagonals" (Clásico de las diagonales) due to the city's distinctive urban layout, is contested between the two major clubs in La Plata: Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.
The first official meeting between the two teams took place on August 27, 1916, during the First Division Championship of the amateur era, following Gimnasia's promotion in 1915. Gimnasia won that inaugural match 1–0 thanks to an own goal by Ludovico Pastor. Since then, the rivalry has become one of the most prominent in Argentine football, with a long tradition of clashes in regular league championships, national cups, and, starting in 2014, in CONMEBOL international tournaments.
Similar to Rosario, Santa Fe, Córdoba, and San Miguel de Tucumán, La Plata is one of the few cities in Argentina where the local clubs enjoy greater popularity than the national giants, Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Head-to-head record This table includes all official matches recognized by the AFA and CONMEBOL.
Updated to the last match played on December 8, 2025.
Competition Matches Estudiantes Draw Gimnasia Est. Goals Gim. Goals Primera División 178 67 63 48 265 213 National cups 11 1 7 3 9 10 International cups 2 1 1 0 1 0 Total 191 69 71 51 275 223
Córdoba derby
The Córdoba derby (clásico cordobés) is the major football rivalry in the city of Córdoba, contested between the two most popular clubs in the province: Belgrano (nicknamed Los Piratas) and Talleres (nicknamed Los Matadores).
It is one of the oldest derbies in Argentina, with the first match dating back to May 17, 1914, which ended in a 1–0 victory for Belgrano with a goal by José Lascano. With over 400 matches played (including friendlies), it is the most frequently contested derby in Argentine football history.
In official matches (AFA and Regional Leagues), Talleres holds an advantage of 20 wins over Belgrano. However, when counting the absolute total history, including friendly matches, the record is remarkably even: as of October 2025, both clubs have won 133 matches each, with 139 draws.
The exact number of historical encounters is sometimes debated due to anomalies in the early tournaments of the Liga Cordobesa de Fútbol. Furthermore, there is a record of a match played in 1975 for which no result is known, as the local press boycotted the coverage of the event.
Head-to-head record This table includes all official matches recognized by the AFA and the Córdoba Football League.
Updated to the last match played on October 5, 2025.
Competition Matches Belgrano Draw Talleres Belgrano Goals Talleres Goals Primera División 26 5 16 5 20 22 Second Division 16 5 6 5 14 16 National cups 3 0 2 1 2 3 Regional leagues 214 66 63 85 351 394 Friendly matches 147 57 52 37 258 226 Grand Total 406 133 139 133 645 661
Santa Fe derby
The Santa Fe derby (Clásico santafesino) is contested between the two major football clubs in the city of Santa Fe: Colón (nicknamed Sabaleros) and Unión (nicknamed Tatengues).