Rivalries are born out of differences, although not in all cases as some are born out of similarities, and such is the rivalry between Schalke and Borussia Dortmund. Hence, the Revierderby was born.
Revier translates to small worklands, and one such place in Germany is the Ruhr region which is nicknamed as Revier. Ruhr region is the largest urban region in Germany and the history of the place draws the origin for the most fiercest rivalry in Germany history. But what is the rivalry all about?
Origin Of The Revierderby
The 2 teams we are talking about are Schalke 04 and Borrusia Dortmund. Schalke is a district in Gelsenkirchen, while Dortmund is its neighbors. Yes, one of the factors of the rivalry is the proximity as both Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund are separated by just 32 kilometers.
Although the biggest reason for the rivalry is the tag of being called the industrial hub of Germany. Yes, the rivalry is born out of industrialization. Gelsenkirchen is famously known for its coals and coal mining, whereas just 30 km apart Dortmund is famously known for its Steel production.
Due to rapid industry work in both the regions, the fan base for both the teams comprises of workers, be it coal or steel, and let’s face it why would a steelworker like a coal worker having bragging rights in such close proximities. Hence it became Coal vs Steel which was expressed in terms of football. Hence the name Revierderby is given to the matches played between Ruhr region teams.
Who’s Better Out Of The Two?
Talking about the modern era of football, Borrusia and Bayern are 2 supergiants of the game in Germany, but this was not the case since its inception.
Schalke 04 was formed in 1904, while Dortmund was formed in 1909 and what might come as a shock to many is that Schalke 04 was the best team of Germany from 1904 till the 1950s, They won 7 German championships during that era and being invincible in all of them. While the era of Dortmund boomed post-1950’s.
Talking about the heated rivalry between the 2 neighbors, their rivalry started in 1925, when they faced each other for the first time with Schalke emerging victorious 4-2.
During these 96 years of Rivalry, let’s see which team has emerged as dominant over the other.
| Teams | Matches Played | Wins | Lose | Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schalke 04 | 157 | 60 | 54 | 43 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 157 | 54 | 60 | 43 |
It’s a close battle but Schalke can still boast about them being ahead in the Reiverderby. But let’s see their statistics over different eras of German Football
| Era | Years | Matches Played | Schalke win | Dortmund win | Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| German Championship | 1903- 1935 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Gauliga | 1936- 1944 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| Oberliga | 1947- 1963 | 32 | 7 | 15 | 10 |
| Bundesliga | 1963 Present | 105 | 36 | 37 | 32 |
4 Famous Instances Of Heated Rivalry
1. Fans Don’t Take Rival Team’s name
Borrusia fans and Schalke fans don’t refer to each other by the clubs names instead as a sign of insult they refer to each other by their neighbourhood.
2. The 1969 Incident
In 1969, Schalke were playing against Dortmund in front of 40,000 Dortmund fans, when the former scored a goal and the fans stormed on the pitch and as a way to control the fans, Dortmund police released their police dogs on the pitch and it bit one of the Schalke players.
3. The 1970 Incident
In 1970, when it was Dortmund’s turn to visit the Schalke home stadium, then Schalke players were escorted to the pitch by security who were carrying a lion alongside them. Yes, you read that right, a Lion!
4. The Stand War
Schalke has opened a North open stand that can fit in around 15000 fans, hence Dortmund inaugurated an open stand on the south with a capacity of 25,000 fans.
This Revierderby might not be famous among the modern era viewers, but it’s always good to travel back to history and look at some famous legacies which are fading these days, with the hope of reviving their magic.
