El Súper Clásico

El Súper Clásico, also called El Clásico, El Clásico de Clásicos, or El Clásico Nacional, is the football rivalry between Mexico's Club América and Guadalajara. Widely regarded as the most intense matchup in Mexican football and one of the world's great derbies, these two clubs have won more league titles than any others in the country: América has 16, Guadalajara has 12. América is seen as the club of the wealthy and the establishment, while Guadalajara is unique in Mexico for fielding only Mexican players. Both teams boast the largest fan bases in the league, with strong support across North America. This is the only derby in the world to have been played in two different continental tournaments: the Copa Libertadores and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. As of February 14, 2026, América leads the all-time head-to-head with 99 wins, Guadalajara has 82, and 82 matches have ended in draws.

The first meeting between these two most popular teams ended in a 1–0 Guadalajara win. The rivalry heated up after the second match in 1943, when Chivas beat América 7–2. That heavy loss embarrassed América, but nearly two decades passed before the fixture became the Clásico known today. América initially struggled in the league. Midway through the 1957–58 season, they sat last with just six points. To avoid relegation, they hired retired player and referee Fernando Marcos. By the 1958–59 season, Marcos had turned them into title contenders. Yet Chivas, playing tactical football, was also thriving. After Zacatepec won the 1957–58 title, Chivas went on to win a record six consecutive championships.

The late 1950s through the mid-1960s were Chivas’s golden era. They won seven of their eleven league titles during this stretch, interrupted only by Zacatepec in 1958 and Club Deportivo Oro in 1963. No other Mexican club matched that level of sustained success, though América would later achieve an equally impressive feat.

By the 1980s, Mexican football had evolved, and dominance by just two teams was over. Competition became more balanced across the Primera División. The 1980s were América’s best decade. They won five titles in five years: three straight starting in 1984, then two more in a row beginning in 1988—something no other team has done in modern Mexican football. After América’s glory years and long after Chivas’s golden age, the two clubs have won only four titles between them, two each.

In the second leg of the 1982–83 semifinals, a brawl known as "La Bronca del '83" broke out between players. As a result, Chivas advanced to the final against Puebla by eliminating América. The following season, the two met in the 1983–84 final, the only league final they have ever played against each other. América came from behind on aggregate to defeat Chivas. From 1983 through 2000, América dominated the rivalry, losing only 6 of 43 matches.

One of the most memorable games came during the Clausura 2005 tournament on March 13 at Estadio Azteca. Pável Pardo scored in the 15th minute, and Óscar Rojas made it 2–0 in the 38th minute off a pass from Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Just before halftime, Héctor Reynoso pulled one back with a stunning goal. Francisco Palencia tied it 2–2 in the 58th minute with his 100th career goal. América retook the lead in the 78th minute when Pardo set up Claudio López to score past Oswaldo Sánchez. Three minutes from time, Palencia scored his 101st goal after a brilliant move involving Ramón Morales and Alberto Medina, making it 3–3. Chivas nearly won it with another Palencia attempt.

In 2007, América set a record by beating Chivas four times in a single year. In 2016, the teams met a record seven times across league matches, playoffs, and a Copa MX semifinal. América came out ahead with three wins, two draws, and two losses. In the two playoff meetings, América went undefeated with two wins and two draws.