10 Best Rivalries To Look Out For At World Cup 2018

Known as the "Islamic Derby", this rivalry goes far beyond sporting achievements. With Iran and Saudi Arabia having different approaches to Islam, there can be a lot of tension between the two nations, and even at club level, Saudi and Iranian clubs have been involved in some intense clashes and sometimes even refused to play each other out of principle.

Due to the rather unfriendly nature of the relationship between the countries, they've never actually played a friendly game, but have met over a dozen times overall in other competitions, including Asian Cup tournaments and World Cup qualification. Neither team has asserted any real domination over the other, with Iran having 5 wins and Saudi Arabia having 6.

One of the most notable matches between the sides came in qualification for the 1994 World Cup. It was the final round of qualification fixtures and there was still everything to play for between the two sides, but Saudi Arabia claimed victory in a back-and-forth 4-3 game to seal their spot at the World Cup and ensure that Iran wouldn't be in attendance. Short of a miracle, these sides won't meet at the 2018 World Cup, but they'll be striving to outdo each other.