Rivalries are established in many ways in world soccer. Proximity is often the most common reason rival clubs detest each other. Politics, ideology and religion can be factors as well. Look no further than Rangers versus Celtic in Scotland, where sectarianism between Protestant and Catholic fan bases has spilled over onto the pitch for over 100 years.



The Eastern Conference matchup between the New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United isn’t part of Major League Soccer’s heavily promoted “Rivalry Week.” It hasn’t necessarily even achieved rivalry status. The two teams aren’t geographical neighbors, and neither has spent part of their marketing budget to fan the flames of a contest that’s getting more heated with each bout. But that’s precisely what makes RBNY versus Atlanta so intriguing: the animosity between the two clubs hasn’t been manufactured; it has been earned over a series of tense matches and close scorelines.