Baghdad derbies

Baghdad derbies
Al-Shaab Stadium hosts the majority of games between the four sides
Other namesIraqi El Clásico (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v Al-Zawraa)
LocationIraq Baghdad, Iraq
TeamsAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Al-Shorta
Al-Talaba
Al-Zawraa
First meetingAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Malakiya 1–0 Al-Shorta
1932–33 Prince Ghazi Cup
(2 January 1933)
Latest meetingAl-Zawraa 1–0 Al-Talaba
2024–25 Iraq Stars League
(6 November 2024)
Statistics
Largest victoryAl-Zawraa 7–0 Al-Talaba
7th Umm al-Ma'arik Championship
(1997–98)

The Baghdad derbies are a series of derby matches between four Baghdad-based football clubs: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa,[1] collectively known as the 'Popular Teams'.[nb 1] They are the four most successful teams in the history of Iraqi football, and league games between the clubs are usually played at the neutral venue of Al-Shaab Stadium to accommodate more spectators. The match between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Zawraa is often referred to as the Iraqi El Clásico.[18]

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were the first to be founded in 1931,[24] and Al-Shorta were founded in 1932,[25] with these two sides developing a strong rivalry during the Iraq Central FA Premier League era.[26] Al-Zawraa and Al-Talaba were founded in 1969, and with the foundation of the Iraqi National Clubs League (now known as Iraq Stars League), a four-way rivalry soon developed in the capital city. None of the four teams have ever been relegated from the Iraq Stars League.[27]

Al-Shorta won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982,[28] while Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won the 2016, 2017 and 2018 editions of the AFC Cup, Asia's second-tier continental tournament. Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa both previously finished runners-up of the Asian Cup Winners' Cup and fourth place at the Asian Club Championship.[29]

  1. ^ "Greatest Asian Club Derbies: Iraq". Asian Football Confederation. 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  2. ^ "A Large History: The Full Story of the Great Baghdad Derby with Facts and Figures" (in Arabic). Iraqi Sport Newspaper. 9 February 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  3. ^ "The History of the Grand Derby of Iraq between the Gulls and the Falcons" (in Arabic). Kooora. 17 June 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  4. ^ "One of the Most Important Iraqi League Derbies: The Clash of Al-Shorta and Al-Talaba" (in Arabic). Iraq Press Agency. 24 February 2017.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Al-Talaba and Al-Shorta face in the Derby of the Capital" (in Arabic). Azzaman. 29 January 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  6. ^ "A Look at the Burning Derby between Al-Zawraa and Al-Shorta" (in Arabic). Iraq Akhbar. 3 June 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  7. ^ "History and Statistics of the Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya–Al-Shorta Derby Ahead of its Newest Edition at Al-Shaab Stadium" (in Arabic). Kooora. 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  8. ^ "In Numbers... The History of the Old Derby Between Al-Zawraa and Al-Talaba" (in Arabic). Iraqi Soccer Network. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  9. ^ "The Derby of Fire: A Preview of the Historic Clash of Al-Zawraa and Al-Talaba" (in Arabic). Al-Aalem. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Previewing the Important Derby between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Talaba" (in Arabic). Al-Maalomah. 14 February 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  11. ^ Daniele Mari (11 February 2017). "Iraq, succede di tutto nel derby di Baghdad. La beffa delle beffe per l'Al Zawra'a". FC Inter 1908. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  12. ^ Uri Levy (14 February 2017). "Clash of titans: This week in Middle East football". The New Arab. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  13. ^ Ahmed Rizvi (15 July 2015). "Football in times of crisis: Iraq's love of the game refuses to waver in face of violence". The National. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  14. ^ Hassanin Mubarak (16 April 2015). "This is the El Clásico, Iraqi style with the Godfather Emad Mohammed". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  15. ^ "Ali Rahim scores amazing bicycle kick in Baghdad derby". Four Four Two. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Outrageous Panenka in the Baghdad derby between Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa". Arab News. 16 February 2018. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  17. ^ Hassanin Mubarak (24 April 2016). "Baghdad El Clásico: Al-Zawraa beat Al-Jawiya in front of a capacity crowd in Baghdad Derby". Ahdaaf.me. Archived from the original on 11 June 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Former Dutchman Davids arrived in Baghdad to attend the Clasico Iraq". Dinar Updates. 18 June 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  19. ^ Hussein Ammar (2 February 2016). "Baghdad Derby: Younis Mahmoud Calls for FIFA to Drop Ban". Yalla Iraq. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  20. ^ Tareq Amin (28 January 2013). "Baghdad Football Derby ends with draw". Iraqi News. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  21. ^ Mariam Sabah (10 February 2017). "Radhi's late goal stuns Baghdad as El Clasico ends in stalemate". Soccer Iraq. Archived from the original on 1 September 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  22. ^ Hassanin Mubarak (18 November 2012). "Al-Shurta striker Jean Michel N'Lend nets hat-trick in Baghdad Derby". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  23. ^ Hassanin Mubarak (4 May 2013). "Al-Jawiya hammer Al-Shurta in Baghdad Derby". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Meet Bengaluru FC's opponents in the AFC Cup final: Iraq's no-nonsense Air Force Club". Scroll In. 3 November 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  25. ^ Sheikh Tophic Sienu (8 February 2018). "Hearts of Oak swerved as Asiedu Attobrah completes move to Iraqi side Al Shorta FC". Ghana Soccer Net. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  26. ^ Abu Bakir Al-Ahmad (11 February 2007). "History of Iraqi League" (in Arabic). Kooora. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  27. ^ Refel Hashim; Hassanin Mubarak; Mohammed Qayed (23 November 2017). "Iraq - List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  28. ^ "List of Arab Champions League Editions". Union of Arab Football Associations. 11 July 2017. Archived from the original on 11 July 2017.
  29. ^ "AFC Champions League 2017 Media Guide". Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 2018-07-04. Retrieved 2018-07-04.


Cite error: There are <ref group=nb> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=nb}} template (see the help page).