203-556: The Manchester derby refers to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United , first contested in 1881. City play at the City of Manchester Stadium in Bradford , east Manchester , while United play at Old Trafford in the borough of Trafford , Greater Manchester ; the two grounds are separated by approximately 4 miles (6.4 km). The teams have played 194 matches in all competitions; United winning 79, City 61 and
406-423: A ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it
609-628: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
812-502: A 0–0 draw. This was the first time the derby had ended without any goals since 2010. United won the second derby of the season, hosted at the City of Manchester Stadium, after Marcus Rashford scored the only goal of the game at the 16-minute mark. Both clubs had managerial changes prior to the start of the 2016–17 campaign , with José Mourinho taking over Manchester United and Pep Guardiola taking over Manchester City. City arguably took
1015-471: A 1–1 draw. 1993–94 saw one of the finest Manchester derbies ever, when United overturned a 2–0 deficit at Maine Road to win 3–2, with Eric Cantona scoring twice. Cantona scored a double on St George's Day as United won 2–0 at Old Trafford. Cantona was on target again in the next Manchester derby in November 1994, though it was Andrei Kanchelskis who stole the show with a hat-trick in a 5–0 win. United won
1218-562: A 2–0 victory at Old Trafford in November 2021 and a convincing 4–1 win at the City of Manchester Stadium in March 2022, with braces from both Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez . In the first derby of the 2022–23 league season on 22 October 2022, City beat United at home 6–3, with two hat-tricks from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland . It was the highest-scoring Manchester derby of all time. On 14 January 2023, United beat City at home 2–1 in
1421-525: A 90th minute Scholes goal, but the victory was to little avail as it was not enough to help United chase Chelsea down to win the Premier League title, pipping United by a point. The 2010–11 season featured three Manchester derbies, with one victory for United, one draw and one victory for City. The victory for United was at Old Trafford, where Wayne Rooney defined the game through a spectacular bicycle kick, this game gave United some space to overcome
1624-493: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1827-428: A War League match at Maine Road on 14 April 1941, but this is not considered an official fixture and thus the result is not counted as the biggest win in the derby. Both teams have won 5–0 once (City in 1955, United in 1994). The largest attendance for a Manchester derby was 78,000 on 20 September 1947, a time when both clubs were playing at Maine Road , as Old Trafford was being repaired following bomb damage sustained in
2030-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
2233-402: A comment against his own supporters by calling them the " prawn sandwich brigade " . In turn, owing to the growth of City's global status following their 2008 takeover which brought significant success on the field, United fans have said many "plastic" fans have jumped on City's bandwagon. The most commonly used name by City fans to describe their cross-city rivals is the term "The Rags" , this
SECTION 10
#17327929795232436-574: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
2639-595: A crowd of 10,000 watched Newton Heath defeat Ardwick 3–2. The match was played in aid of the Hyde Coal Mine disaster. The first competitive floodlit derby was the 1956 FA Charity Shield match, as Manchester United were defending league champions and Manchester City were FA Cup holders. The game was a break with tradition as Charity Shield games were typically played at the home ground of the League Champions, but as Old Trafford had yet to install lights,
2842-505: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
3045-482: A five-match ban during the autumn of that year. On 9 November 2002, City, managed by Kevin Keegan , won the last derby at Maine Road 3–1, with Shaun Goater scoring his 100th and 101st goals for the club, and Nicolas Anelka scoring the other. This was City's first win over United since the 5–1 victory in 1989, ending a 13-year barren run for the blue half of Manchester. City would later go on to draw at Old Trafford in
3248-407: A five-match ban. Consequently, the win put City top of the league on goal difference after being 8 points behind in the league in March. Only two wins against Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers were required for City to win the league, which they subsequently achieved. City ultimately won the last six league matches to clinch the league title on goal difference – the first time a tie-breaker
3451-470: A further two games. City won the first leg 2–1 after overturning a 1–0 deficit made by Ryan Giggs with goals from Carlos Tevez. United went 2–0 up in the second leg via Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick before Tevez made it 2–1, levelling the tie and setting the game up for extra time. However, Rooney scored a stoppage time header which won the tie for United and took them to their second consecutive League Cup final. On 17 April 2010, United beat City 1–0 thanks to
3654-482: A goal against Sheffield United that came after he beat four defenders in a mazy run. However, he was also sent off against Chelsea , was the subject of death threats, and failed to turn up for training for a whole week in January as he instead spent his time with Miss Great Britain 1971, Carolyn Moore. On 17 November, he was the subject of Eamonn Andrews 's biographical television show This Is Your Life when he
3857-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
4060-586: A handful of appearances for Hibs in the First Division in the following season . He returned one last time to Easter Road in 1984, for Jackie McNamara 's testimonial match against Newcastle United . In his third season in the States, Best scored once in 12 appearances. His moves to Fort Lauderdale and San Jose were also unhappy, as his off-field demons began to take control of his life again. After failing to agree terms with Bolton Wanderers in 1981, he
4263-502: A header just before the half-time whistle. There was also a spat between City boss Roberto Mancini and Sir Alex Ferguson after a challenge on Danny Welbeck by Nigel de Jong . Ferguson claimed that Mancini harangued the fourth official Mike Jones throughout the match, while Mancini laughed off the incident, sarcastically claiming Ferguson never talks to, or harangues the referee – an offence Ferguson has been found guilty of on numerous occasions, most recently in 2011 for which he received
SECTION 20
#17327929795234466-544: A lack of devoted supporters, despite City being amongst the top five highest-attended teams in the League. As of 10 August 2024, there have been 194 competitive meetings between the teams. United have won 79, City have won 61, and the remaining 54 games finished as draws. The biggest victories have been to City, who have won 6–1 on two occasions in the official league (both times in the away fixture at Old Trafford): on 23 January 1926 and 23 October 2011 . United beat City 7–1 in
4669-640: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
4872-644: A massive drinking session with the French rugby team , who were in Edinburgh to play Scotland . He was brought back a week later. In August 1982, he played 20 minutes for Scone Thistle against Scone Amateurs; the appearance fee he received helped to pay off an income tax bill. He returned to the US to play for the San Jose Earthquakes in what was officially described as a "loan", though he only managed
5075-522: A mazy run and beat goalkeeper José Henrique with a dummy, before rolling the ball into the net. Two further goals from Brian Kidd and Bobby Charlton settled the tie at 4–1. The victory was not only the pinnacle of Best's career, but arguably Manchester United's greatest achievement, considering the Munich air disaster had wiped out most of the Busby Babes just ten years previously. Best also won
5278-529: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
5481-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
5684-530: A play towards United's global fan base, stating that City is the club for the locals and United fans travel up from London or fly in from Europe and Asia for a day out. Following on from this City fans have often called United "plastics" or "glory supporters" again in reference to their on the field dominance over several decades that made the club hugely popular with football supporters outside of Manchester, that even lead United captain Roy Keane to make
5887-468: A player full of fantasy; a player who lent magic to what might have been whimsy". In the quarter-finals, United advanced past Polish club Górnik Zabrze 2–1 on aggregate, having held on to their aggregate lead in freezing temperatures in front of 105,000 at Silesian Stadium . Despite losing the away tie 1–0, Best described the defeat as "one of our best-ever performances, given all the unwelcome circumstances". Facing six times champions Real Madrid in
6090-515: A red card for making a knee-high tackle on Haaland. The feud started in 1997, when United captain Keane suffered a cruciate ligament injury when he fouled Haaland (then playing for Leeds, a team that also have an unpleasant rivalry with United). As Keane lay on the ground, Haaland accused him of feigning injury. The game ended in a 1–1 draw; United were already league champions and City's two dropped points brought them closer to eventual relegation, which
6293-411: A red card in the 12th minute for a challenge on Nani . United went 3–0 up by half time, and successfully battled off a second half comeback from City in which they scored twice. The game was notable for the re-emergence of Paul Scholes , who came out of retirement and replaced Nani in the 59th minute. City beat United 1–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium on 30 April 2012, with Vincent Kompany scoring
Manchester derby - Misplaced Pages Continue
6496-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
6699-547: A result, Best considered his international career as being "recreational football". He is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have played at a World Cup , and like his namesake, Liberia star George Weah , he was “hamstrung in World Cup terms by hailing from a global minnow”. On 15 May 1971, Best scored possibly the most famous "goal" of his career at Windsor Park in Belfast against England. As Gordon Banks ,
6902-436: A reverse of the scoreline from the previous year. Although United fans currently view Liverpool as their main rivals, the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs intensified as football became tribal in the 1960s and 1970s, and strengthened again in the early 2010s with City's emergence as one of the top teams in England. Both Manchester clubs are regarded as among the best in the world, with both consistently progressing to
7105-515: A rolling contract with Cork his failure to show for a game saw him being dropped and subsequently leaving the club. He had a brief resurgence in form with Second Division club Fulham from 1976–78 , showing that, although he had lost some of his pace, he retained his skills. His time with the "Cottagers" is particularly remembered for a match against Hereford United on 25 September 1976 in which he jokingly tackled his own teammate, and old drinking mate, Rodney Marsh . Best and Marsh were drawn to
7308-462: A row on 10 December, and had the chance to win the league with victory over United at the City of Manchester Stadium on 7 April. They led 2–0 at half-time, but two goals from Paul Pogba and one from Chris Smalling meant City had to wait to secure the title. City did the double over United the following season , winning 3–1 at the City of Manchester Stadium – their first home derby win since 2014 – and 2–0 at Old Trafford – their third away derby win in
7511-496: A row. In the 2019–20 campaign , United was again travelling first; goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial secured their first win in the first derby fixture of the season for the first time since 2012–13. The late 2010s and early 2020s saw City reach unprecedented levels of success, winning the league in six out of seven seasons under the management of Pep Guardiola . Most of these seasons were characterised by closely fought title battles between Liverpool and City, however
7714-576: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
7917-518: A surprise win. The return game in early April saw United win 3–2 at Maine Road, with yet another goal from Cantona, who had netted a highly controversial penalty after Uwe Rosler had put City 1–0 FA Cup fifth round two months earlier, which United went on to win 2–1. Three years later, in the first Old Trafford derby of the new millennium in April 2001, saw the culmination of a long-standing feud between Roy Keane and Alfie Haaland , which Keane received
8120-516: A telegram to manager Matt Busby which read: "I think I've found you a genius". After making his debut at age 17, he scored 179 goals in 470 appearances over 11 years and was the club's top goalscorer in the league for five consecutive seasons. He won two League titles , two Charity Shields and the European Cup with the club. In international football, Best was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland between 1964 and 1977. A combination of
8323-419: A testimonial match was held for Best at Windsor Park . Among the crowd were Sir Matt Busby , Jimmy Murphy , and Bob Bishop, the scout who discovered Best, while those playing included Osvaldo Ardiles , Johan Neeskens , Pat Jennings and Liam Brady . Best scored twice, one goal from outside the box, the other from the penalty spot. "George Best was one of the most talented players of all time and probably
Manchester derby - Misplaced Pages Continue
8526-424: A third consecutive derby match in the first derby of the 2008–09 season , Wayne Rooney scoring the game's only goal. Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in the same game for a bizarre handball. Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez then scored in the return match at Old Trafford to give United a 2–0 win. The seasons following City's takeover in 2008–09 , saw two well-contested semi-final fixtures (League Cup and FA Cup) between
8729-564: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
8932-471: A unique twist on a cross-city rivalry, both clubs' fans accuse each other of not representing their city, with the blue half of the city observing that their adversaries do not actually play in the city of Manchester (in Trafford ) and therefore do not warrant their name, while the red half instead argue over which team has more fans inside of the city. City fans often ridicule United fans for being tourists in
9135-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
9338-481: A week after City's EFL Cup triumph in March 2020. Played at Old Trafford, goals from Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay completed United's first league double over City since 2009–10 and proved to be their last home match to be watched by spectators before the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic started. The following COVID-19 affected season, the two clubs met once more in a EFL Cup semi-final. This
9541-438: A well-observed one-minute silence preceded the match). Darius Vassell and Benjani scored for City in the 24th and 45th minutes respectively, and Michael Carrick scored a consolation goal for United in the 90th minute. It was the first time since April 1974 that City had beaten United in the league at Old Trafford and the first time they had won both league derby games since the 1969–70 season. United prevented City from winning
9744-409: A win, although they were also relying on Norwich beating Birmingham that day for their result to matter. After 80 minutes, with no score, Francis Lee played the ball towards former United player Denis Law who was standing with his back to goal. Law back-heeled the ball past goalkeeper Alex Stepney into the net. This was Law's last appearance in league football, announcing his retirement soon after. In
9947-441: A year later, while United reached three FA Cup finals in four seasons, although they had only one win in the competition. The 1980's began with a 2–2 draw at Old Trafford between the two sides on 27 September 1980. It was the beginning of a relatively frustrating season in the league for United, who sacked manager Dave Sexton at the end of the campaign, while City dismissed manager Malcolm Allison soon afterwards and improved in
10150-460: Is due to a period after World War II where United were given use of City's Maine Road stadium after Old Trafford had been bombed by the Luftwaffe . United at the time were so poor that they had to wear old kits that after a while started to resemble old rags. As well in the past sections of the City support have been known to use the term "Munichs" to describe fans of United, in reference to
10353-468: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
SECTION 50
#173279297952310556-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
10759-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
10962-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
11165-816: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
11368-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
11571-643: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
11774-455: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
11977-401: Is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting the ball into the other team's goal (between
12180-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
12383-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
SECTION 60
#173279297952312586-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
12789-728: The 100 Greatest Sporting Moments . Busby returned as manager in December 1970, though the 1970–71 season also ended without a trophy. Best began to get into trouble with his discipline: he was fined by the Football Association for receiving three bookings for misconduct, and he was suspended by United for two weeks after missing his train to Stamford Bridge so as to spend a weekend with actress Sinéad Cusack . New manager Frank O'Farrell led United to an 8th-place finish in 1971–72 . Highlights for Best included hat-tricks against West Ham United and Southampton , as well as
12992-466: The 1964–65 season, his first full season as a first team regular, Best helped Manchester United to claim the league title . A 1–0 victory at Elland Road proved decisive as the title race came down to goal average between the "Red Devils" and bitter rivals Leeds United . Leeds managed to gain some measure of revenge though, by knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage. Over
13195-477: The 1965–66 season, and Best was injured from 26 March onwards, with a twisted knee following a bad tackle from a Preston North End player. United staff claimed it was light ligament damage, to keep Best on the field for the rest of the campaign. He had little faith in the United medical staff, and so he secretly saw Glentoran's physiotherapist, who readjusted his ligaments in a painful procedure. His last game of
13398-602: The 1968–69 campaign. Although, it became obvious that the club's new recruits were not up to scratch as United dropped to 11th in the league before Busby announced his retirement. Best later said that "I increasingly had the feeling that I was carrying the team at times on the pitch." He scored 22 goals in 55 games, though only he and Denis Law scored more than six league goals. In the Intercontinental Cup , fans and players alike looked forward to seeing United take on Argentine opposition Estudiantes de La Plata over
13601-482: The 1969–70 season. Best hit 23 goals, including an FA Cup record six goals in an 8–2 win over Northampton Town in a mud-bath at the County Ground on 7 February 1970. Best's sixth goal saw him go one on one with Northampton goalkeeper Kim Book . Best made a feint to go right which put Book on his backside, before he went left and walked the ball into the net. Book states: "I remember thinking George
13804-519: The 1972–73 season, as Best was part of the 'old guard clique' that barely talked to the newer, less talented players. Frustrated with the club's decline, Best went missing in December to party at the London nightclubs. He was suspended, and transfer-listed at a value of £300,000. After O'Farrell was replaced as manager by Tommy Docherty , Best announced his retirement for a second time. He resumed training on 27 April. Best's last competitive game for
14007-482: The 1985–86 season , and hosted United at Maine Road on 14 September 1985. United won this game 3–0, to extend their winning start to the league season to eight games. They would go on to win all of their opening 10 games and lead the First Division table into the new year, but eventually finished fourth. Although City finished 15th in the league this season, they did come to Old Trafford on 22 March 1986 and hold
14210-421: The 1989–90 season . City defeated United 5–1, but this would be their last win over United for 13 years. Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel , who played for both United and City, can claim an unbeaten record in derby games – United were unbeaten during his 10 matches keeping goal for them against City, while in his single season at Maine Road, City beat United at home and picked up a point at Old Trafford. However, in
14413-682: The Australian National Soccer League during the 1983 season . He also was a guest player for an exhibition match between Dee Why Football Club and Manly Warringah held on 27 July 1983; Dee Why won the match 2–1, with Best having scored the winning goal. On 29 October 1984, Best played as a special guest for Reading against the New Zealand national team in a friendly game, alongside 1966 World Cup winner Martin Peters . Reading were defeated 2–1. On 8 August 1988,
14616-724: The Ballon d'Or in 1968 after receiving more votes than Bobby Charlton, Dragan Džajić and Franz Beckenbauer . This meant that he had won the three major honours in club football at the age of just 22, the league title, European Cup, and European Player of the Year award. After this, his steady decline began. "It seems impossible to hurt him. All manner of men have tried to intimidate him. Best merely glides along, riding tackles and brushing giants aside like leaves." — Joe Mercer , Manchester City manager, 1969. The " Holy Trinity " of Best, Law and Charlton were still as effective as ever in
14819-527: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
15022-455: The Munich air disaster , which has been described as both derogatory and insensitive. United often ridicule City by calling them "Citeh" , which pokes fun at the way the word is pronounced phonetically with a Mancunian accent, City fans in turn have stated the fact that United are mocking the accent as a sign that their fanbase does not predominantly come from Manchester. United fans also refer to City supporters as "Bitters" or "Berties" after
15225-490: The Republic and Northern Ireland have had some great world class players. I still hope that in my lifetime it happens." A highly skilful winger, considered by several pundits to be one of the greatest dribblers in the history of the sport, Best received plaudits for his playing style, which combined pace, skill, balance, feints , two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to get past defenders. Pelé declared that Best
15428-465: The Second Division in 1973–74 . Best played at United when shirt numbers were assigned to positions, and not the player. When Best played at right wing, as he famously did during the later stages of the 1966 and 1968 European Cups, he donned the number 7. As a left winger, where he played exclusively in his debut season and nearly all of the 1971–72 campaign, he wore the number 11. Best wore
15631-553: The Second World War . All statistics exclude the abandoned match from the 1960–61 season. Italics denote players still currently at either Manchester City or Manchester United. 8 players have scored a hat-trick in a competitive Manchester derby match. Notes Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel
15834-582: The immunosuppressive drugs he needed to take after a liver transplant in 2002. George Best was the first child of Anglo-Irish parents, Richard "Dickie" Best (1919–2008) and Anne Withers (1922–1978). He was born on 22 May 1946 and grew up in Cregagh , east Belfast . Best was raised in the Free Presbyterian faith. His father was a member of the Orange Order and as a boy George carried
16037-525: The "Red Devils" to share the Charity Shield with a 3–3 draw with FA Cup winners Tottenham Hotspur . It was the first game to be broadcast in colour on British television. Best scored twice against rivals Liverpool in a 2–0 win at Anfield , and claimed a hat-trick over Newcastle United in a 6–0 home win on the penultimate league game of the season. However a home defeat to hated local rivals Manchester City proved costly, as City claimed
16240-534: The "greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland". With his handsomeness, dark Beatle mop-top hair and playboy lifestyle , Best became one of the first media celebrity footballers, earning the nickname " o Quinto Beatle " by Portuguese press reporters after a stand-out performance for Manchester United in Lisbon in March 1966. However, his extravagant lifestyle led to various personal problems, most notably alcoholism , from which he suffered for
16443-635: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
16646-540: The 1990s, United dominated the fixture, going unbeaten in derbies for the full decade. In 1990–91 , with both Manchester clubs competing in the top half of the table but not looking like real title contenders, the Maine Road clash in October delivered a pulsating 3–3 draw, but the return match at Old Trafford in early May saw United win 1–0 and the only goal of the game came from 17-year-old winger Ryan Giggs , scoring
16849-552: The 2009–10 Manchester derby at Old Trafford as "probably [...] the best derby of all time". Manchester United won this game 4–3 after Manchester City had equalised three times only for Michael Owen to score the winning goal after 95 minutes. The match was voted the greatest Premier League game at the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards in 2012. The sides were drawn against each other in the League Cup semi-finals, meaning
17052-578: The 36-year-old Best for the Third Division side, and he remained there until the end of the 1982–83 season, when he retired from football at the age of 37. Best played in a friendly for Newry Town against Shamrock Rovers in August 1983, before ending his professional career exactly 20 years after joining Manchester United with a brief four-match stint playing for the Brisbane Lions in
17255-415: The 5–0 loss in 1955. It was also the first time since 1926 that City had scored six at Old Trafford, when the score that day also finished 6–1. United and City met for the third time in the season in the third round of the FA Cup, resulting in a 3–2 win for United. The scoring opened in the tenth minute as Wayne Rooney headed neatly past stand-in keeper Costel Pantilimon , before Vincent Kompany received
17458-684: The Aztecs and named as the NASL's best midfielder in his second. He and manager Ken Adam opened "Bestie's Beach Club" (now called "The Underground" after the London subway system) in Hermosa Beach , California in the 1970s, and continued to operate it until the 1990s. Best caused a stir when he returned to the UK to play for the Scottish club Hibernian . The club was suffering a decline in fortunes and
17661-628: The English goalkeeper, released the ball in the air in order to kick the ball downfield, Best managed to kick the ball first, which sent the ball high over their heads and heading towards the open goal. Best outpaced Banks and headed the ball into the empty goal, but the goal was disallowed by referee Alistair Mackenzie. Best continued to be selected for Northern Ireland throughout the 1970s, despite his fluctuating form and off field problems. Dutch captain Johan Cruyff commented: "What he [Best] had
17864-548: The European Cup (they had a relatively easy run in getting past Ireland 's Waterford United , Belgium's Anderlecht , and Austria 's Rapid Wien ) where they were knocked out 2–1 on aggregate by A.C. Milan following a 2–0 defeat at the San Siro ; Milan goalkeeper Fabio Cudicini was the hero after keeping United to only one goal at Old Trafford. "It's been a joke on the circuit ever since. You know, I'm on one side of
18067-576: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
18270-613: The First Division's joint top-scorer, level on 28 goals with Southampton 's Ron Davies , Best was presented with the FWA Footballer of the Year award, becoming the youngest ever recipient. Facing United in the European Cup Final at Wembley were Benfica. While his teammates rested, Best found "a novel way to relax" before the big game by sleeping with "a particular young lady called Sue". The game went into extra-time, and just three minutes into extra-time Best went on
18473-838: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
18676-477: The Football League finally came in 1892. Newton Heath joined the First Division, and Ardwick the new Second Division. The first Football League meeting between the teams came in the 1894–95 season, Newton Heath beating Manchester City 5–2 at Hyde Road . In the late 1890s, Scottish brothers Billy and Matthew Gillespie played on opposite sides in the fixture on three occasions. The first meeting between
18879-467: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
19082-475: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
19285-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
19488-748: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
19691-479: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
19894-504: The Portuguese media dubbed him "O Quinto Beatle" ("the fifth Beatle "), and on the team's return to England, Best was photographed on the airport tarmac in his new sombrero with the headline, "El Beatle". His talent and showmanship made him a crowd and media favourite, and he went from being headline news in the back pages to the front pages. Before the game, manager Matt Busby had told his wingers, Best and Connelly, to stay deep for
20097-506: The Shield in stoppage time. On 23 October 2011, Manchester City beat United 6–1 at Old Trafford, giving the latter their first defeat of the season. Jonny Evans was sent off in the 47th minute after fouling Mario Balotelli , with the score at 1–0 to City. United pulled a goal back at 3–0 down before three goals for City sealed their victory. The 6–1 score was the biggest defeat suffered by Manchester United against City at Old Trafford since
20300-543: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
20503-641: The ability to get past defenders. His style of play captured the public's imagination, and in 1999 he was on the six-man shortlist for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Century . He was an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Born in Belfast , Best began his club career in England with Manchester United, with the scout who had spotted his talent at the age of 15 sending
20706-417: The academically gifted Best passed the 11-plus and went to Grosvenor High School , but he soon played truant as the school specialised in rugby union . Best then moved to Lisnasharragh Secondary School, reuniting him with friends from primary school and allowing him to focus on football. He played for Cregagh Boys Club. He grew up supporting Glentoran and Wolverhampton Wanderers . At the age of 15 Best
20909-460: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
21112-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
21315-534: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
21518-579: The best footballer who never made it to a major world final." — 1974 World Cup winning West Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer on Best not playing at a World Cup . Best was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland , scoring nine goals. Of his nine international goals, four were scored against Cyprus and one each against Albania , England , Scotland , Switzerland and Turkey . Largely surrounded by teammates of lesser ability with Northern Ireland than with his club and lower expectations as
21721-458: The bragging rights that season, winning 2–1 at Old Trafford on 10 September in the league before United won the League Cup tie 1–0 at Old Trafford en route to the title on 26 October and a goalless draw at the City of Manchester Stadium on 27 April in which Marouane Fellaini was sent off for headbutting Sergio Agüero. In the 2017–18 season , City won 2–1 at Old Trafford for the second year in
21924-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
22127-460: The campaign. The first Manchester derby following the creation of the Premier League for the 1992–93 season was a 2–1 win for United at Old Trafford on 6 December 1992. Making his United debut on that day was new signing Eric Cantona , who would go on to score eight goals in Manchester derbies over the next four seasons – the first in the return match at Maine Road that March which ended in
22330-679: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
22533-542: The character "Bertie Magoo the Bitter Blue" who appeared in a United fanzine in 1989. City fans refer to United's stadium as "The Swamp" , which is said to originate from its position in an area which has a substantial man-made canal network, while United fans refer to the City of Manchester Stadium as the "Emptyhad" , in reference to its sponsored name, Etihad Stadium, and the widely-held belief by some fans that there are many empty seats at some City home games due to
22736-431: The closing minutes of the match, United supporters invaded the pitch and forced an abandonment. However, the result stood, and other results meant that United would have still been relegated if the match had ended in a United win or a draw. United returned to the First Division a year later. The rest of the decade brought generally good fortunes for the two sides, as City won the League Cup in 1976 and were league runners-up
22939-439: The club again, including the core of the team which had won the 1904 FA Cup . When the suspensions ended in January 1907, four players ( Jimmy Bannister , Herbert Burgess , Billy Meredith and Sandy Turnbull ) joined United, where they helped United gain their first league title in 1908. In contrast to modern antipathy, the transfers were generally welcomed for helping a fellow Manchester club. The following season Turnbull became
23142-629: The club by the presence of England World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore , and they were involved in exuberant goal celebrations . Best played for three clubs in the United States: Los Angeles Aztecs , Fort Lauderdale Strikers and later San Jose Earthquakes ; he also played for the Detroit Express on a European tour. Best was a success on the field, scoring 15 goals in 24 games in his first season with
23345-421: The club was on 1 January 1974 against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road , which United lost 3–0. He failed to turn up for training three days later and was dropped by Docherty, though he claimed Docherty was deceitful with him. Best was arrested and charged with stealing a fur coat, passport, and cheque book from Marjorie Wallace , but was later cleared of all charges. United went on to suffer relegation into
23548-453: The clubs to take place at the highest level of English football occurred in December 1906, a 3–0 City win in a First Division match for which the gate receipts exceeded £1,000, a very large figure for the era. At this time City were suffering the after-effects of a financial scandal in which the club were found guilty of making off-balance sheet payments to players. As a result, seventeen players were suspended and banned from ever representing
23751-517: The clubs. Controversy was generated prior to the start of the 2009–10 season , when City signed Carlos Tevez after his contract with United ended and erected a billboard reading "Welcome to Manchester" at the top of Deansgate . The billboard provoked Alex Ferguson into claiming City were a "small club with a small mentality" and subsequently called them "noisy neighbours" during the season. The 2009–10 season featured some tense matches, including two League Cup semi-final legs. Sir Alex Ferguson proclaimed
23954-478: The course of two legs . However Best said "no one tackled harder or dirtier than this Argentinian team" as a 1–0 defeat at the Estadio Camilo Cichero was followed by a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford. In the home tie, Best was kicked and spat on by José Hugo Medina, and both players were sent off after Best reacted with a punch. Despite their poor league form, United managed to reach the semi-finals of
24157-552: The course of the campaign Best contributed 14 goals in 59 competitive games. He scored the opening goal of the 1965 FA Charity Shield at Old Trafford, which ended in a 2–2 draw with Liverpool . The rising star of English football, Best was catapulted to superstar status at the age of 19, when he scored two goals in a European Cup quarter-final match against Benfica at the Estádio da Luz on 9 March 1966. His impressive stand-out display allied with his dark Beatle mop-top hair,
24360-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
24563-451: The derby games between United and City continued to be competitive and mostly unpredictable. The first derbies of the 2020s came in a 2019–20 EFL Cup semi-final tie in January 2020. City's 3–1 win in the first leg at Old Trafford was enough to send them to their third successive EFL Cup final, as United were only able to produce a 1–0 win in the second leg at the City of Manchester Stadium. The first league derby in this decade came exactly
24766-454: The double over United with a third consecutive win at Old Trafford on 25 March 2014. During the 2014–15 season , City defeated United 1–0 at City of Manchester Stadium in November 2014, but United won their next encounter at Old Trafford in April 2015 with a final score of 4–2, a game which City goalkeeper Joe Hart dubbed "one of my worst days in a Man City shirt". The first derby of the 2015–16 campaign , contested at Old Trafford, ended in
24969-469: The double over their rivals by winning 3–1 at home in March. The two teams met again in the FA Cup final for the second year in a row, making it the first time since 1885 that the same two clubs have met in consecutive FA Cup finals, the second-ever Manchester derby FA Cup final, and the third FA Cup meeting between the two teams at the new Wembley Stadium. Manchester United secured a 2–1 victory over City in
25172-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
25375-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
25578-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
25781-497: The first 20 minutes. Keep it tight and quieten the crowd. But George Best was only 19, too young for such caution. All he heard was 'blah, blah, blah'. When the game started, he grabbed it by the scruff. 'Watch this, Eusebio. And Coluna, Simoes, Torres, Germano, Jose Augusto. I'm George Best, and this is how it's done.' Other nicknames included the "Belfast Boy", and he was often referred to as Georgie , or Geordie in his native Belfast. However United failed to win any major honours in
25984-414: The first ever derby match at their new stadium, the City of Manchester Stadium , 4–1, with goals from Robbie Fowler , Jon Macken , Trevor Sinclair and Shaun Wright-Phillips . The 2007–08 derby games were both won by Manchester City, 1–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium on 19 August 2007, and 2–1 at Old Trafford on 10 February 2008 (four days after the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster ;
26187-547: The first player to be sent off in a derby. Before the Second World War, many football supporters in Manchester watched City one week and United the next. After the war, a stronger rivalry developed and following both teams became uncommon. The first floodlit Manchester derby was played on 26 February 1889 at the Belle Vue Athletic Ground. Wells electric lights were placed around the ground and
26390-402: The first senior goal of what would prove to be an illustrious and uniquely successful career. The 1991–92 derbies were uneventful – a goalless draw at Maine Road in mid-November and a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford in early April. United finished the season runners-up after leading the league for much of the season, finally buckling under fixture congestion and a shortage of goals in the second half of
26593-489: The floor. The first derby of the 1973–74 season saw Mike Doyle and Lou Macari each receive a red card in a dour contest which finished 0–0 at Maine Road . Both players refused to leave the pitch, leading the referee to take both teams back to the dressing room until the two players accepted their dismissals. The return fixture came at Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the season (United still had an away game to play at Stoke) with United trying to avoid relegation with
26796-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
26999-528: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
27202-471: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
27405-553: The front rank". The pair became the dominant teams in the Manchester area; the winner of the Manchester Cup was either Newton Heath or Ardwick every year between 1888 and 1893. Both teams joined the Football Alliance , a short-lived rival to the Football League. During this period both clubs made unsuccessful attempts to gain election to the League (Newton Heath in 1889, 1890 and 1891; Ardwick in 1891). Admission to
27608-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
27811-446: The game was played at Maine Road. Manchester derbies in the 1970s saw two controversial incidents. In the December 1970 derby, a tackle by United's George Best broke the leg of City's Glyn Pardoe ; the severity of the injury almost resulted in the City defender losing his leg. The following season, an entertaining 3–3 draw saw Francis Lee accuse Best of diving and emphasised the point to the referee by throwing himself theatrically to
28014-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
28217-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
28420-468: The hosts to a 2–2 draw, costing them two vital points as their title hopes continued to fade. 1986–87 brought relegation for City, while United finished 11th in a season which saw them replace Ron Atkinson with Alex Ferguson as manager on 6 November 1986. One of Atkinson's last games in charge of United was the visit to Maine Road in the league on 25 October, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Alex Ferguson first faced City as United manager on 10 January 1987 in
28623-687: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
28826-707: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
29029-411: The latter stages of UEFA competitions in recent years and both are in the top 5 of football clubs by revenue. The city is now viewed as a football city in similar vein to cities such as Madrid and Milan , although City's disappearance from the upper echelons of the league following their 1960s–70s heyday until their recent rise has led to the two teams being regarded as polar opposites, with City seen as
29232-417: The league title with a two-point lead over United. Yet the 1967–68 season was remembered by United fans for the European Cup win. After disposing of Maltese Hibernians , United advanced past Yugoslavian Sarajevo with a 2–1 home win – Best assisted John Aston for the first and scored the second himself, and was described by Geoffrey Green of The Times as "the centrepiece of the chessboard ...
29435-440: The league under his successor John Bond , also reaching the FA Cup final . By 1982–83 , however, any suggestions that City were a better side than United were silenced as United finished third in the league and won the FA Cup , while City were relegated. The Old Trafford derby on 23 October 1982 ended in a 2–2 draw, but United won the return game at Maine Road 2–1 on 5 March 1983. City regained their First Division status for
29638-426: The match with goals from Yaya Touré and the equaliser from Pablo Zabaleta in the 86th minute. Robin van Persie scored from a free kick that took a deflection off of Samir Nasri in the 92nd minute, to seal the win and three points in the league. Manchester United's victory ended Manchester City's run of being unbeaten in 37 games. During the celebrations following the late winner by Robin van Persie, Rio Ferdinand
29841-614: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
30044-534: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
30247-419: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. George Best Northern Ireland professional footballer Eponyms and public art Related George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005)
30450-402: The nouveau riche to United's old money. The two sets of fans are traditionally diametrically opposed to each other, with City's fans accusing United of arrogance and of attempting to turn the Premier League into a closed shop for elite clubs only via manipulation of the rules and of the media while they in turn are accused of using their "oil money" as a route to success. Additionally, and in
30653-440: The number 8 shirt at inside right on occasion throughout the 1960s, but for more than half of his matches during 1970–71. He was playing at inside left (wearing the number 10) in 1972 when he famously walked out on United the first time but was back in the number 11 for the autumn of 1973 before leaving for good. Best even wore the number 9 jersey once for United, with Bobby Charlton injured, on 22 March 1969 at Old Trafford, scoring
30856-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
31059-661: The only goal in a 1–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday . In total Best made 474 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions from 1963 to 1974, and scored 181 goals. Over the next decade he went into an increasingly rapid decline, drifting between several clubs, including spells in South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Scotland, and Australia. Playing only five competitive matches for Jewish Guild in South Africa, Best endured criticism for missing several training sessions. During his short time there, he
31262-470: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
31465-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
31668-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
31871-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
32074-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
32277-407: The posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
32480-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
32683-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
32886-606: The remaining 54 have been drawn. Amongst the most successful clubs in England , they have won a combined 104 honours: 68 for Manchester United and 36 for Manchester City. They are also the first two English clubs and first cross-city rivals to have won the treble ; United's success came in 1999 , while City's occurred 24 years later . The first meeting between the two teams occurred on 12 November 1881, when St. Mark's (West Gorton) – who would later become Manchester City – hosted Newton Heath LYR – who would later become Manchester United. The game finished 3–0 in favour of Newton Heath and
33089-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
33292-507: The rest of his life. These issues affected him on and off the field, often causing controversy. Although conscious of his problems, he made light of them and was known for his intelligence and wit on the subject during periods of sobriety: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds, and fast cars – the rest I just squandered". After football, he spent some time as a football analyst , but his financial and health problems continued into his retirement. He died in 2005, aged 59, from complications from
33495-572: The rest of the season and get their 19th league title. City's win came in the FA Cup semi-final, knocking United out on the way to their ninth FA Cup final, and their first trophy since 1976. Consequently, the Community Shield that began the 2011–12 season was a Manchester derby, as United won the league the same day City won the FA Cup, 14 May. United won the Community Shield 3–2 at Wembley, coming from two goals behind to clinch
33698-451: The return game 3–0 at Maine Road three months later. 1995–96 was the last season of the millennium which brought a Manchester derby, as City were relegated at the end of the season. The first derby of the season came at Old Trafford in mid-October with a 1–0 win for United in which Paul Scholes , still only 20, scored the only goal of the game and only a string of superb saves from United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel prevented City from gaining
33901-544: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
34104-519: The same birth date as Best. That same season, Best captained the Manchester United side that won the 1964 FA Youth Cup , the sixth FA Youth Cup won under the management of Jimmy Murphy , and the first since the 1958 Munich air disaster . Though opponents would often use rough play to try to stifle his technical ability, Busby ensured that "fierce, sometimes brutal" training sessions left Best well used to coping with tough challenges. In
34307-412: The same season 1–1, Shaun Goater again scoring the goal. This was the first season since 1991–92 that City had been unbeaten by United in either of their league meetings. Goater also had a second goal disallowed for handball, which would have handed City their first derby double over United since 1970 and their first win at Old Trafford since the "Denis Law game" of 1974. City followed this up by winning
34510-510: The scoring on the 16th minute followed by a goal from Yaya Touré just before half-time. In the second half, Agüero scored his second followed by a Samir Nasri goal three minutes later. Wayne Rooney scored a late free kick for United as a consolation goal. It was the first time in 26 years that the Derby had been contested by two new managers: Manuel Pellegrini for Manchester City and David Moyes for Manchester United. Manchester City went on to do
34713-490: The season, his knee strapped-up, came on 13 April, and ended in a 2–0 defeat to Partizan Belgrade at Partizan Stadium . The 1966–67 season was again successful, as Manchester United claimed the league title by four points. Best stated that "if the championship was decided on home games we would win it every season. This time our away games made the difference. We got into the right frame of mind." An ever-present all season long, he scored 10 goals in 45 games. He then helped
34916-518: The second derby of the season, with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford . The 2023 FA Cup final was the first time a Manchester derby featured in a cup final, and Manchester City went on to win the occasion 2–1 where City captain İlkay Gündoğan scored after 12 seconds, the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history. In the 2023–24 season , City beat United 3–0 away in October 2023 following goals from Haaland and Foden and then completed
35119-505: The semi-finals, Best scored the only goal of the home fixture with a 15-yard strike that Alex Stepney described as one of Best's finest goals. In the tie at the Bernabéu , Best was marked effectively by Manuel Sanchís Martínez , but on the one time Best got the better of him he made a telling pass to Bill Foulkes , who calmly found the net, to level the game at 3–3 and to win the aggregate tie 4–3. Days after returning to England, as
35322-554: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
35525-467: The street, George Best is on the other. He nods to me and I dive under a bus." — Northampton goalkeeper Kim Book on the jibes he has faced since being fooled by Best's feint in a 1970 FA Cup game against Manchester United. Best’s six goal performance in the game was voted No. 26 on Channel 4’s list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments . United improved slightly under new boss Wilf McGuinness , but still only managed an eighth-place finish in
35728-625: The strings of the banner in his local Cregagh lodge. In his autobiography, Best mentioned how important the Order was to his family. Best had four sisters, Carol, Barbara, Julie and Grace, and one brother, Ian Busby Best. Best's mother Anne died from alcoholism-related cardiovascular disease in 1978, at the age of 55. Best's father died on 16 April 2008, at the age of 88, in the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald , Northern Ireland. In 1957,
35931-431: The team's performance and his lack of fitness in 1982 meant that he never played in the finals of a major tournament. He considered his international career as being "recreational football", with the expectations placed on a smaller nation in Northern Ireland being much less than with his club. He is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have played at a World Cup . The Irish Football Association described him as
36134-408: The team, and by the end of the 1963–64 season, he had made 26 appearances, scoring six goals. Manchester United finished second, four points behind Liverpool . They reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup , where a defeat to West Ham United cost Best the chance to break a record. In the final Preston North End 's Howard Kendall became the youngest ever player in a FA Cup Final – he shared
36337-425: The third round of the FA Cup, which United won 1–0. The league clash at Old Trafford came on 7 March 1987, which United won 2–0 to continue their improvement in form under Ferguson and push City closer to eventual relegation. The 1980s ended on a high note for City as they won promotion back to the First Division in 1989 and were paired with United for the derby match at Maine Road on 23 September 1989, just weeks into
36540-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
36743-475: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
36946-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
37149-408: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
37352-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
37555-457: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
37758-496: Was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger , spending most of his club career at Manchester United . A skillful dribbler , he is considered one of the greatest players of all time, along with being considered one of the most talented to play. He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1968 and came fifth in the FIFA Player of the Century vote. Best received plaudits for his playing style, which combined pace, skill, balance, feints , goalscoring and
37961-411: Was confirmed in the penultimate game of the season. It was the first time in nine years that City had come away from Old Trafford unbeaten, and the first time in eight years that they had been unbeaten by United home or away in any competition. In his autobiography, published in 2002, Keane admitted that the challenge was a premeditated attempt to injure, an admission which resulted in a £150,000 fine and
38164-445: Was described by the Ashton Reporter as "a pleasant game". At this time, the clubs were just two of many fledgling sides in the Manchester area, and the fixture had no special significance. Both clubs grew in stature as the 1880s progressed, leading to their first meeting of the 1890s being billed as "a meeting of two local clubs, [Ardwick (City)] just rising to the highest standard in the football world whilst [Newton Heath] are nearly in
38367-623: Was discovered in Belfast by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, whose telegram to United manager Matt Busby read: "I think I've found you a genius." His local club Glentoran had previously rejected him for being "too small and light". Best was subsequently given a trial and signed up by United's chief scout Joe Armstrong . His first time moving to the club, Best quickly became homesick and stayed for only two days before going back home to Northern Ireland. He returned to Manchester and spent two years as an amateur, as English clubs were not allowed to take Northern Irish players on as apprentices. He
38570-474: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
38773-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
38976-453: Was given a job as an errand boy on the Manchester Ship Canal , allowing him to train with the club twice a week. Best made his First Division debut, aged 17, on 14 September 1963 against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in a 1–0 victory. He then dropped back into the reserves , before scoring his first goal for the first team in his second appearance in a 5–1 win over Burnley on 28 December. Manager Matt Busby then kept Best in
39179-405: Was going to go one way, but he dropped his shoulder and went the other, and by then I was already on the deck. He was just too good for me." Best's six goal performance earned him an invitation to No 10 Downing Street from UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson , who had also regularly written fan letters to him. In 2002 the British public voted Best's record breaking performance No. 26 in the list of
39382-456: Was heading for relegation from the Premier Division , before Best was signed on a "pay per play" basis after the club chairman, Tom Hart, received a tip-off from an Edinburgh Evening News reporter that he was available. Even though Best failed to save Hibs from relegation, gates increased dramatically, and the attendance quadrupled for his first match at Easter Road . One infamous incident saw Best initially sacked by Hibs after he went on
39585-473: Was hit by a coin thrown by a fan, causing Ferdinand to suffer an injury near his left eye. Another fan invaded the pitch and attempted to confront Ferdinand, only to be restrained by Joe Hart. City won the second derby of the season at Old Trafford, the first time they had won two away derbies in a row since the 1970s. The first Manchester derby of the 2013–14 season was won by City 4–1 at the City of Manchester Stadium on 22 September 2013. Sergio Agüero opened
39788-429: Was invited as a guest player and played three matches for two Hong Kong First Division teams ( Sea Bee and Rangers ) in 1982. At HK Rangers he played alongside his former Northern Ireland teammate Derek Spence . While in Hong Kong, Best also played darts for a team called Presstuds, made up of a combination of professional footballers and sports journalists. In late 1982, AFC Bournemouth manager Don Megson signed
39991-440: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
40194-437: Was surprised at a central London restaurant. He would be the subject for a second time in 2003 when Michael Aspel surprised him at Teddington Studios . With 27 goals in 54 appearances, Best finished as the club's top-scorer for the sixth – and final – consecutive season. Best then announced his retirement from football, but nevertheless turned up for pre-season training, and continued to play. United's decline continued in
40397-607: Was the fourth time the clubs had met at this stage of the competition and the third time in eleven years. For the second consecutive season, City came out on top, winning 2–0 at Old Trafford in a single-legged spectator-less fixture, thanks to goals from John Stones and Fernandinho . In March 2021, United had their second successive league win at City for the first time since 2010, with another 2–0 victory and goals from Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw . In 2021–22 , City were able to end their run of derby league home defeats and complete their first double over United in three seasons, with
40600-474: Was the greatest footballer he'd ever seen. Recalling Best's career and style of play, sports writer Patrick Barclay said: "In terms of ability he was the world's best footballer of all time. He could do almost anything – technically, speed, complete mastery of not only the ball but his own body. You could saw his legs away and he still wouldn't fall because his balance was uncanny, almost supernatural. Heading ability, passing ability, I mean it goes without saying
40803-486: Was the main draw attracting thousands of spectators to the matches. In 1975, Best played three matches for Stockport County in the Fourth Division . He had a brief spell at Cork Celtic from December 1975 to January 1976. He made his League of Ireland debut against Drogheda United at Flower Lodge on 28 December. He played only three league games, the others against Bohemians and Shelbourne , but despite attracting big crowds he failed to score or impress. Being on
41006-408: Was unique, you can't coach it". Best was considered briefly by manager Billy Bingham for the 1982 World Cup , but at the age of 35, with his football skills dulled by age and drink (and five years having passed since his last cap), he was not selected for the Northern Ireland squad. A proponent of a United Ireland football team, in 2005 Best stated: "I've always thought that at any given time both
41209-404: Was used to decide the championship since 1988–89 , and repeated the 1967–68 league season , when City pipped United to the title after both teams went into their final games level on points. The first Manchester derby of the 2012–13 season was won by Manchester United in the dying minutes of the game. United went ahead with two early goals from Wayne Rooney , before City came back and levelled
#522477