Navad 90 March 12, 2012 Football Iran نود۹۰ عادل Ùردوسی پور دوشنبه Û¹Û¹Û± اسÙند Û±Û³Û¹Û± ايران Tehran derby تاج Ùˆ پرسپولیس شهرآورد تهران Perspolis Taj Esteghlal The Tehran derby (Persian: شهرآورد تهران) known locally as the derby Tehran is a football local derby match that takes place twice a year between the two most popular clubs in Iran: Esteghlal FC and Persepolis FC This match was declared as the most important derby in Asia and 22nd most important derby in the world in June 2008 by World Soccer magazine. Despite being a derby between two teams from Tehran, the match has been played in other Iranian cities as well. The first derby match between the teams took place on April 5, 1968, at Amjadieh Stadium, where the game finished as a scoreless draw. At the time, Esteghlal was known as Taj FC. Both clubs were relatively young but Persepolis had a solid fan base, because of its close association to the on! ce popular Shahin club. The rivalry between Shahin and Taj was transferred to its current stage when the Shahin club had to cease operations due to poor relations with the IFF. Nasser Hejazi Over time, the rivalry became more heated and club fans began attaining collective identities. By the mid-1970s Persepolis was seen as a working class club, while Taj was viewed as a club close to the ruling establishment and supported by the upper class of Iranian society. Persepolis fans outnumbered Esteghlal fans by large numbers at the time and still do. Because of the sensitive nature
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