Derby do Minho
The Derby do Minho is the oldest rivalry and one of the biggest football derby match in Portugal. It is played between SC Braga and Vitória SC, the two most representative clubs in the Minho region.
More than a rivalry between two sports clubs, it is a rivalry between two historic and neighboring cities, which dates back before the foundation of the nationality, in a dispute between the power of the Archbishops of Braga and the Counts of the County of Portugal. From then until today, there have been several demonstrations of rivalry between the two sides, thus justifying the fact that there is no railway line between the two cities or the controversy surrounding the creation of the University of Minho.
Thus the rivalry between SC Braga and Vitória SC is more a reflection of a rivalry between the society of both cities. People from Braga and Guimarães do not like each other. The first are called "marroquinos ", the others "espanhóis ", and beyond the border is enemy land. However, just like the cities to which they belong, there is much more in common between them than what separates them:
- The official founding date of SC Braga dates back to 1921, while that of Vitória SC dates back to 1922.
- In 2024, Braga has around 31,000 members while Vitória has around 39,000 members.
- They have managed to win titles outside the sphere of the big three.
- In the 21st century, these are the clubs that, in sporting terms, cause the most difficulties for the so-called Big Three and that normally compete for the highest positions in the Portuguese League and in qualifying for European competitions.
- Apart from the so-called Big Three, they are the only clubs to maintain a considerable fan base, always with good attendances at home, which provide exciting games and an electrifying spectacle from the stands with great tifos and choreographies.
- Both teams always have good away trips, playing at their opponents' grounds as their home ground, as they have a numerical advantage in most Portuguese stadiums, due to the geographical proximity of the League clubs.
Media coverage of the Derby do Minho
In terms of home and away attendances, Vitória stands out compared to Braga because there is a deeply rooted culture of support, marked by localism and the strong connection of the fans to their local club. Even when the team is not in the top positions, Vitória continues to record high average attendances because the support base remains loyal regardless of the results. However, on the Braga side, given the excellent and more regular sporting results obtained at the turn of the century, they have gradually managed to increase their average due to the change in the mentality of the fans, many of whom were previously biclubistas and now tend to support the city club more exclusively.
Audience development
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Data in this graph is from EFS Attendances and since 2009/10 from Liga Portugal.
History of rivalry
At the beginning of its existence, the rivalry between Guimarães and Braga was more about the fight for the leadership of the Braga FA than sport, since most of the matches were played against teams from the same city. In Braga, SC Braga had several opponents such as Braga Sport Club, Braga Football Club, Liberdade Foot-ball Club and Soarense. Vitória, on the other hand, exercised greater hegemony in the city of Guimarães, owing its origins to a football group founded in 1913 with two teams, the first being Sport Club Vimaranense and the second Foot-ball Grupo Vimaranense, which later became one.Beginnings
The first regional championships were dominated by SC Braga and only in 1936/37, after 10 Bracarenses titles, did Vitorianos manage to impose themselves in the regional championship, witnessing a period of crisis for SC Braga. It was precisely during this period that the Portuguese Football Championship was created in 1934/35, and only from 1941/42 onwards did the AF Braga Champion qualify for the First Division.In 1946/47, the competitive framework of Portuguese football was reformulated, ending qualification based on regional championships, and introducing a logic of continuity between editions, and a system of promotions and relegations between divisions. The First Division was expanded to 14 teams, while the Second Division was reformulated, and a Third Division was created. In this way, Vitória SC was integrated into the I Division while SC Braga was relegated to the II Division, no longer participating in the district championship on that date. SC Braga would go on to achieve promotion in the same season, retaking Minhoto.
Since that date, both clubs have only been absent from the First Division for 3 seasons: in 1956/57, from 1961/62 and 1963/64, from 1970/71 to 1974/75 and from 1955/56 to 1957/58 and 2006/07.It's worth noting that in 1947, after Braga's victory in Montijo, which earned them promotion to the First Division, the SCB delegation was honored in Famalicão, with Vitória represented by António Faria Martins, who said: