With a viewership of billions, the UEFA European Championship (EUROS) is often hailed as one of the most popular and prominent tournaments in the history of football. The most recent UEFA Euro 2024 Semi-Finals, clinched by England, witnessed a peak audience of 20.3 million, making it one of the most-watched television programs of the year.

The world of European football often highlights numerous fierce rivalries and high-intensity matches on the field. With extremely rich narratives and fierce rivalries on the field, the UEFA Euro face-offs between Barcelona vs Real Madrid, Liverpool vs Everton, and Brazil vs Argentina are seen as much more than mere games of football by football aficionados from all around the world.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the top five most iconic and fierce rivalries in the history of the Euros. 

• Real Madrid vs Barcelona 

The Real Madrid vs Barcelona clash also referred to as “El Classic”, is often hailed as one of the most fierce European football rivalries globally. The “El Clásico ” clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona decided which side would clinch the ultimate La Liga title and the Champions League. With prominent football stalwarts, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, this on-field rivalry has been creating waves in the world of football for decades now.

The electrifying crowds, action-packed goals, and storied rivalry further add up to highly dramatic encounters between the two rival teams. With millions of viewers around the world and a saga of spine-chilling moments, El Clásico is often hailed as one of the biggest games played by the rivals in the 21st century.

• Celtic vs Rangers 

The Celtic vs Rangers rivalry is undoubtedly one of the oldest and most fierce football rivalries dating back to 1888. The “Old Firm Derby” is perceived to be much more than just a mere game of football by the fans globally. While the Celtic are supported majorly by the Catholic community, the Rangers are often backed up strongly by the Protestant community, thus adding a fuming religious layer to this on-field rivalry. For football aficionados and the fans of these two teams, the “Old Firm Derby” serves as a matter of community pride and, therefore, is considered to be one of the most dreadful rivalries in the world of football both on-field and off-field.

• Liverpool vs Manchester United 

The “Liverpool vs Manchester United” has turned out to be one of the most fierce rivalries in the history of the Euros between the two cities of England. Watched by millions of fans across the globe, the face-offs between Liverpool and Manchester United are often driven by high-intensity drama and outrageous moves on the field. It’s safe to assume that the “Liverpool vs Manchester United” rivalry isn’t only restricted to the football arena, instead, it involves the community identity and pride of the two cities of England and therefore involves many more waves of tension and rivalry on the field.

• Red Star Belgrade vs Partizan Belgrade 

Although hailed by millions, not enough people are aware of the fact that both the clubs, Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade, were established after World War II and thus symbolize a great deal of passion and determination towards the game. The iconic clash between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade, also known as “The Eternal Derby”, is ruled by deeply-seated emotions and mindset differences that have divided Serbia for decades. In addition to the on-field drama, the rivalry often extends beyond the field of football and leads to numerous violent riots in the region, speaking volumes about the intensity of feelings attached to one of the most fierce rivalries in the history of the Euros. 

• Juventus vs Inter Milan 

The most iconic rivalry in Euro, the “Juventus vs Inter Milan” rivalry, takes us back to the aftermath of the shocking Italian football scandal called “Calciopoli” that took place in the year 2006. Juventus were found guilty in the investigation that followed and, as a consequence, the club was relegated to Serie B and was brutally stripped of the two Serie A titles. While Juventus were dealing with an unfortunate downfall, Inter Milan took advantage of the whole scenario and swiftly advanced to Serie A. This move worsened the rivalry between the two clubs. As of now, the two teams face each other in the iconic “Derby d’Italia” clash which is often hailed as one of the most brutal battles in the history of the Euros.

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Euro 2024 is set to kick off today. While the first edition of the UEFA Euro Championship was hosted by Yugoslavia in 1960 by France, the 17th edition will begin in Germany from 14 June. 

The inaugural edition of the  European championship was first organized under the banner of European Nations’ Cup banner in which 17 teams featured. 

Since the commencement of the tournament, 10 teams have won the coveted championship, with Spain and Germany winning the title three times each. 

France and Italy have two titles each. 

Spain are the only team to have won the competition two times in a row, in 2008 and 2012. 

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Interestingly, France was the last team to have won the championship at home in 1984. 

As the stage is set for the big event of the football fraternity, fans and experts already have their favorites to win the tournament. July 16 is when the champions will be crowned, putting an end to the speculations. 

Before we step into the one-month period of football extravaganza in Euro 2024, let us reflect on the past winners of the Euro Championship. 

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Here is a list of the winning teams of the Euros since its inception in 1960: 

The Euro Championship organized by the Union of European Football Associations opens the stage for a plethora of talent pool in football in the continent. Many football players have used the opportunity as a launchpad to reach international stardom. The Euro 2024, too, seeks to bring forth such promising young talents and provide them a platform for international glory.