Let the Hate Flow: The Fiercest North American Soccer Rivalries You've Never Heard Of

The article surveys little-known, highly intense soccer rivalries across North America, arguing that proximity helps fuel contempt and that derby culture often amplifies trolling and hostility through fan culture. It opens with the idea that sports rivalry can create a structured outlet for a “us versus them” mindset—socially constrained to matches—and then highlights examples, beginning with El Paso Locomotive FC vs. New Mexico United. The piece explains that the rivalry’s naming references the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a historic Spanish colonial trade route, and notes existing regional tensions linked to college football matchups involving New Mexico State and UTEP. It frames the rest as a tour of ferocious local derbies.