The Intercontinental Derby


The Intercontinental Derby is the name given to any football match between Fenerbahçe SK and Galatasaray SK
It is also known as the Eternal Rivalry. It involves the two most successful clubs in Turkish football history and it is widely regarded as the biggest football match in Turkey. The fixture is more than a century in existence and has developed into one of the greatest, most intense and often bitter derbies in the world, traditionally attracting large attendances and nearly equal support for both teams throughout the country. In September 2009, British Daily Mail ranked the Fenerbahçe – Galatasaray derby second among the ten greatest football rivalries of all-time.

History

The first game played between the two sides was a friendly game on Sunday, 17 January 1909. The game, staged at Papazın Çayırı where Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium is located today, finished 2–0 in favour of Galatasaray.
Fenerbahçe achieved their first victory over Galatasaray when they defeated them 4–2 in the 4th gameweek of the Istanbul Football League on Sunday, 4 January 1914.
On 21 September 2003, the two clubs played the Süper Lig game in front of a record attendance of 71,334 people, with drawing the game 2–2. The biggest win is achieved by Galatasaray with winning 7–0 at the 6th week of the 1910–11 Istanbul Football League season. This disputed game was played on 12 February 1911. Fenerbahçe achieved their biggest win against Galatasaray on 6 November 2002 with 6–0, where four goals were scored when Fenerbahçe was one man down. On 23 February 2020, Galatasaray defeated Fenerbahçe 1-3 at away, marking the first time Galatasaray won a game at Şükrü Saraçoğlu since 22 December 1999.

Idea to merge Fener and Galatasaray

The first league games in Turkey were held in İstanbul in 1904. This league was called Istanbul Football League originally. The teams participating were called Cadi-Keuy FC, Moda FC, Elpis FC and HMS Imogene.
These teams were made up of the English, Greek, and Armenian minorities living in Turkey. Galatasaray SK joined the league in 1906–07 and Fenerbahçe SK in 1909–10. Galatasaray SK did not participate in the 1911–12 season and the club suggested to loan Emin Bülent Serdaroğlu, Celal Ibrahim and two other Galatasaray SK players to Fenerbahçe SK for the match against Strugglers FC. But Fenerbahçe SK did not accept this offer. In 1912 Galatasaray SK president Ali Sami Yen and Fenerbahçe SK president Galip Kulaksızoğlu made a meeting.
They arranged a protocol and agreed to form a strong Turkish team against the non-Turkish teams in the league.
According to this agreement the new club would have been called Türkkulübü, full white kit with a red star. Additionally they also agreed to set up a museum. On 23 August 1912 they presented the petition to the International Olympic Committee – Ottoman section. Due to the Balkan Wars in 1913, this agreement could not be enforced.

Beginning of the rivalry

Friday 23 February 1934 was the day when unexpected riots happened at a supposed to be friendly match between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray played at Taksim Stadium. Both teams wanted to win badly and therefore the match had to be stopped many times because of hard fouls. The high tension on the pitch caused high tension on the stands as well. The game ended with players fighting. The referee had no choice except to abandon the match. It was the end of friendly displays between both clubs.

Professionalisation of Turkish football

The professional nationwide league was formed in 1959, a few years after the foundation of UEFA in 1954. It is the top-flight professional league in Turkish nationwide football, and the most popular sporting competition in the country. The 1959 Millî Lig was the first season of the professional league in Turkey. The league was made up of sixteen clubs split into two groups: the Kırmızı Grup and Beyaz Grup, the colours of the Turkish flag. The first season took place in the calendar year of 1959, instead of 1958–59, because the qualifying stages took place in 1958. The final consisted of two legs took place between the winners of each group. Galatasaray won the Red Group and Fenerbahçe won the White Group, so both teams played each other to determine the champion. Galatasaray won the first match 1–0. Metin Oktay scored the goal and the ball ripped the net, but Fenerbahçe won the second leg 4–0, winning 4–1 on aggregate.

Graeme Souness flag incident

In the 1995–96 season, Fenerbahçe were competing for the title with Trabzonspor while Galatasaray were struggling. When Galatasaray reached the cup final against Fenerbahçe, Fenerbahçe were expected to win easily. Galatasaray surprisingly beat Fenerbahçe in the first leg by a Dean Saunders penalty. The second leg was played in the harsh atmosphere of the Fenerbahçe stadium. After 90 minutes Fenerbahçe were leading 1–0, but in extra time Saunders equalised, winning the cup for Galatasaray. Their manager Graeme Souness took a giant Galatasaray flag after the match and planted it in the centre of the pitch to provoke the Fenerbahçe fans.

Fan's rivalry

Fenerbahçe SK and Galatasaray SK are the most popular Turkish clubs; both sides have large fanbases that follow them in domestic and international matches. Football hooliganism is a common phenomenon between their fans in recent years, featuring anything from breaking seats, cursing, fighting, fireworks and street rioting. The hatred is so intense that many violent incidents have taken place in several regions of Istanbul as well as in rest of Turkey, especially before or after a derby.

Incidents

On 12 May 2013, the two clubs met at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, the match was a dark page in the history of the rivalry between the two clubs. After the match, which resulted in a 2–1 victory for Fenerbahçe, 19-year-old Fenerbahçe fan Burak Yıldırım was stabbed to death by a Galatasaray hooligan. Also at the same match, one Fenerbahçe fan made racist chants directed at the African players of Galatasaray. These claims were later denied by the said supporter.
In 2006 Galatasaray supporters opened a racist banner which targeted Mehmet Aurélio, player of Fenerbahçe and the Turkish national team with Brazilian roots. The message on the banner stated that "one cannot become Mehmet, but can only be born as Mehmet".

Football rivalry

Both clubs compete with each other for the title of the most successful football club in Turkey, as well as the greatest Turkish sports club overall. Their football departments have always been the most popular among their fans, but the rivalry also extends into other team sports such as basketball, volleyball, and rowing. Fenerbahçe SK are more successful in the Intercontinental Derby games, while Galatasaray SK boast their success in winning the 2000 UEFA Cup Final and the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, being the only Turkish team to have these achievements. Fenerbahçe hold the record for most Turkish championships won with 28 titles altogether, while Galatasaray have been Turkish champions 23 times so far. Galatasaray won the Turkish Cup 18 times, while Fenerbahçe won it 6 times to date.

Culture

The rivalry between the two top Turkish clubs can be traced back to some social, cultural, and regional differences. Galatasaray were founded in 1905 by Galatasaray High School students in the district of Beyoğlu. In the early decades of Turkish football Galatasaray were considered the classic representative of the high class society of Istanbul. On the other hand, Fenerbahçe were founded by local men in the district of Kadıköy in 1907. Fenerbahçe were known as the people's club and were considered the representative of the blue-collar workers. In the 70s, Fenerbahçe were supported by 60% of the country while Galatasaray were still heavily supported by the high class society of Istanbul, however Galatasaray managed to close the gap between the two clubs after the club dominated the 90s and won the UEFA Cup in 2000. The class differences between the fanbases have faded out and the social gap that once separated the two sides has closed over the years. Nowadays, both clubs boast fanbases that represent all the social classes.

Honours

Supporters

In a 2011 poll 1.4 million Turkish citizens were asked for the team that they support in Turkey by bilyoner.com, the results ended with Galatasaray scoring 35% of the votes while Fenerbahçe scored 34% making up almost seven tenths of the fans.
Both Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe also have a minor global following.

Highest attendance

List of all matches

Head-to-head ranking in Süper Lig

• Total: Fenerbahçe 32 times higher, Galatasaray 30 times higher.

Statistics

Head to Head

As of 23 February 2020
MatchesWins
Fenerbahçe		Wins
Galatasaray		DrawsGoals
Fenerbahçe		Goals
Galatasaray
Süper Lig126503442158122
Türkiye Kupası26313102942
Süper Kupa613259
Other competitive matches114493233178149
Total official matches2721038287370322
Friendly / Other119434234166166
Total391146124121536488

Biggest wins (5+ goals)

MarginResultDate
6Fenerbahçe SK 0–6 Galatasaray SK4 May 1913
6Fenerbahçe SK 6–0 Galatasaray SK6 November 2002
5Fenerbahçe SK 1–6 Galatasaray SK2 October 1914
5Fenerbahçe SK 6–1 Galatasaray SK23 February 1936
5Fenerbahçe SK 6–1 Galatasaray SK12 December 1976
5Galatasaray SK 5–0 Fenerbahçe SK4 December 1910
5Fenerbahçe SK 0–5 Galatasaray SK15 March 1942
5Fenerbahçe SK 0–5 Galatasaray SK18 December 1960
5Fenerbahçe SK 5–0 Galatasaray SK16 August 1980

Most consecutive wins

Most consecutive draws

Most consecutive matches without a draw

Longest undefeated runs

Highest scoring matches

Most consecutive matches without conceding a goal

Most consecutive games scoring

Player

Most appearances

Top scorers

Most goals by a player in a match

Crossing the Bosphorus

Players

Galatasaray to Fenerbahçe

Galatasaray to Fenerbahçe