10 Football Clubs That Are Friends
Football is a highly competitive sport, as we all know. Football teams’ high level of competition and desperation to win can sometimes lead to envy and deep-seated rivalry. Despite this highly charged competitive environment, some teams have very cordial, if not outright friendly, relationships with one another. These football teams are friendly with each other for a variety of reasons. Here are five football clubs recommended by friends.
1. Glasgow Rangers and Chelsea
Chelsea and Glasgow Rangers have had a friendship for many decades.
The friendship has been dubbed “Blue Brothers” because both teams wear blue home jerseys. The relationship between the two teams began with the appointment of Chelsea’s first manager, John Tait Robertson, who had previously worked for Rangers.
Then there were players like Charlie Cooke and Jon Spencer, who played for Chelsea but had a Rangers background.
Chelsea and Rangers played against each other in the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, many Rangers fans travelled to Athens to cheer on Chelsea in the 1971 Cup Winners Cup final.
2. River Plate and Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano and River Plate have had a long friendship dating back to 1953.
Rayo Vallecano decided to replicate River Plate’s red stripe on their jersey, which started the relationship between the two clubs.
Rayo Vallecano, you see, was founded in 1924 and originally played in a white shirt. They did, however, add a red stripe to resemble River Plate, and the two clubs have had a close relationship since then.
Both clubs’ presidents have met on numerous occasions to organise friendly matches and strengthen their bonds.
3. Borussia Monchengladbach and Liverpool
Liverpool and Borussia Monchengladbach were rivals at first. They first met in the UEFA Cup final in 1973, when Monchengladbach lost to Liverpool. The two teams met again in the 1977 European Cup final in Rome, which Liverpool won for the second time.
However, the supporters avoided gloating and established a friendly relationship with one another.
Monchengladbach even sent a fan delegation and a donation to the families affected by the Hillsborough disaster in 1991.
The members of the club have remained close to one another to this day.
4. Torino and Fiorentina
For many years, the two Italian top-flight clubs have competed against each other in various competitions, including Serie A and Coppa Italia.
Despite the fact that they are club rivals, the two sides have a very friendly and cordial relationship. One reason for this could be their mutual ‘hatred’ of Italian powerhouse Juventus.
Torino sees the Old Lady as a city rival, whereas Fiorentina despises Juventus for allegedly robbing them of the 1981-82 Scudetto.
Aside from the banter, the true reason for the bond between these two clubs was what happened in the aftermath of the 1949 Superga air disaster. The plane crash killed 31 passengers, including the entire Torino first team.
Fiorentina offered players from their youth team to play for the Turin-based club following the disaster. Torino will never forget this kind gesture.
5. FC Nuremberg and Schalke
In Germany, this unique friendship between these two clubs is known as fan Freundschaft. Despite their disparate fortunes, the two German clubs have been on good terms since the 1970s.
There is no particular reason why Shalke and Nuremberg are so friendly, but they hold high regard for one another. When playing each other, they frequently print joint logos, and fans from both teams travel to each other’s games against different opponents to show their support.
6. Athletico Nacional and Chapecoense
The world was shocked to learn of a plane crash in 2016 that killed Chapecoense football players on their way to the Copa Sudamericana finals against Nacional.
Athletico were so moved by the tragedy’s aftermath that they asked the South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL to award the title to Chapecoense.
This gesture earned the love and respect of Brazilian club fans, who have continued to forge that special bond formed by the unfortunate air disaster.
7. Notts County and Juventus
This is one of the more humorous entries on the list. The unlikely friendship between top Italian club Juventus and lower league English club Notts County dates back to 1903.
Juventus was considering switching from their pink jersey to a new one. An Englishman named John Savage, one of the Old Lady’s players, assisted in obtaining shirts from a friend in Nottingham, a black and white striped Notts County jersey.
The two clubs have remained friendly over the years, with Juventus even inviting the English side to play a friendly in 2011 to celebrate the opening of their new stadium.
8. Southampton Athletic Club and Athletic Club
Athletic Club and Southampton’s unusual friendship began before either team existed. It all started with migrant workers, particularly from Southampton.
These Southampton workers instilled a love of football in the people of Bilbao and founded Bilbao FC, which later became Athletic Club. The two teams’ uniforms are also similar.
The two clubs have remained friends over the years. This was evident in 2015, when Bilbao presented Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier with a half-time award during a La Liga match against Real Sociedad.
9. PAOK and Partizan
Partizan Belgrade and PAOK Thessaloniki are two unlikely clubs that have grown close over the years. The two teams have a Facebook page dedicated to their friendship, and fans from both clubs sing each other’s chants whenever they play each other.
10th. Napoli and Genoa
On the final day of the 1982 Serie A season, Napoli and Genoa formed an unlikely friendship.
When the two teams met, Napoli needed a point to qualify for the UEFA Cup and defeated Genoa 2-1. Genoa needed a point as well to avoid relegation.
At the same time, AC Milan led Cesena 3-2, and the situation was such that Genoa would be relegated to Serie B while AC Milan would avoid relegation.
Genoa fans cheered and celebrated when they scored. AC Milan was relegated after Genoa scored through Mario Faccenda.
Since then, the two clubs have assisted each other in important matches, most notably during the 2006/2007 season.