| Casablanca Derby | |
| City Or Region: | Casablanca, Morocco |
| First Contested: | 1956–57 Botola (10 February 1957) |
| Most Wins: | Raja CA (46) |
| Top Goalscorer: | Said Ghandi (7 goals)--> |
| Mostrecent: | 2023–24 Botola (2 June 2024) |
| Nextmeeting: | TBD |
| Largestvictory: | 1995–96 Moroccan Throne Cup (18 February 1996) |
| Total: | 154 |
The Casablanca Derby (Arabic: ديربي الدارالبيضاء) is the football match in Morocco between Casablanca rivals Raja Club Athletic and Wydad Athletic Club. Traditionally played in the Stade Mohamed V, it is considered as one of the fiercest derbies in the world.[1] [2]
Since the beginning of Botola, the two teams have never been relegated and have always played each other every season whether in the league or in Throne Cup. They faced each other outside of national competitions once, during the 2019 Arab Cup of Champion Clubs. This duel is accentuated by a social dimension; Wydad is closer to the bourgeoisie class, while Raja is more popular since it has always been associated to the Moroccan trade union from which many of its founders and presidents belong.[3] However, these ideological differences have faded over time and supporters of the two clubs now come from different social backgrounds.
The post 1980s period is marked by a rivalry in performance and prestige. It intensified even more over in the 2000s with the emergence of ultras groups. The Casablanca Derby is considered to be the football pinnacle in the Kingdom, due to its number of matches which exceeded the 150 in 2022, making it the most played confrontation in Moroccan football history, and the enthusiasm of the supporters who attach particular importance to it since it represents the opposition of the most popular and successful clubs in Morocco.[4]
The top scorer in the history of the Casablanca Derby is Said Ghandi with 7 goals, followed by Mohsine Moutouali and Mouhcine Iajour with six goals each.
Wydad have historically been seen as more middle-class and privileged thanks to the one-time backing of King Mohammed V before his death in 1961.[5] Wydad Casablanca has historically been associated with the Moroccan monarchy due to its close ties with the Moroccan royal family. The club's colors, red and white, are also said to symbolize the Moroccan monarchy.
Raja Casablanca, on the other hand, has traditionally been associated with leftist and populist politics.[6] The club was founded in 1949 by a group of leftist activists and intellectuals who wanted to create a team that represented the working class. The club's colors, green and white, are said to symbolize the hope and renewal of the Moroccan people.
As in most of the world's derbies, riots and fights can take place before, during and especially after a major game.
On February 10, 1957, the first meeting took place between the two rivals, and witnessed Raja's victory 1–0 at Stade Philip in Casablanca.[7] [8]
In 1978, Raja players withdrew from the match against Wydad during the last 10 minutes of the second-half because they were mistreated after conceding a penalty with a red card to their goalkeeper. Raja players did not accept the referee's decision and left the stadium by order of their captain Mohamed Fakhir, while Pitchou sat on the ball and waited with passion to score this penalty but Raja players refused to continue the match. The game ended by a score of 1–0 for Wydad.[9]
In 1996, Raja defeated Wydad 5–1 in the Moroccan Throne Cup quarts-finals. This score is the highest between the two rivals.
On April 6, 2001, Wydad initially won 3–0, but Raja complained about the illegal participation of the substitute Abdelhaq Ait Laarif who was registered with both Wydad and Étoile de Casablanca. The Moroccan federation accorded the win to Raja.[10]
On September 29, 2001, during the 100th derby which was part of the semifinals for the Moroccan Throne Cup, Youssef Belkhouja, a Wydad player, died on the pitch of a heart attack.[11]
On 24 May 2006, there was a fierce competition between the two rivals to clinch the league title. Raja scored first with a penalty by Abdellatif Jrindou, that result would have given Raja the title; but at the end of the match (at the 90+6 minute), a staggering strike from a long distance by Hicham Louissi gave Wydad the draw needed to win the league for the 16th time after 13 years of the last cup.[12]
On October 20, 2007, during an encounter between rival team supporters, Hamza Eddali, a Wydad fan who was 17, died. He is to date the last person killed in the Casablanca derby.[13] [14]
On April 18, 2010, after Raja beat Wydad with a score of 1–0, a fight broke out between Wydad and Raja fans. Over one hundred people were arrested.[15]
In 2012, Wydad requested the FIFA and Royal Moroccan Football Federation to count the 5 titles that the club won in the regional championship organized during the Colonial Era in Morocco by french authorities before the creation of the Moroccan federation in 1956 as Botola titles. Their request was accepted and so, increased Wydad's Botola titles from 12 to 17. Wydad is the only club in Morocco to have their titles from the colonial era (before 1956) admitted by the FIFA.
On November 2019, the two rivals met in the second round of the Arab Club Championship. This was the first time that the derby took place in a non-local competition. The first game ended 1–1,[16] with Wydad leading by away goals. The second leg was one of if not the most epic match in derby history, with Wydad going up 4–1 with 15 minutes to play and Raja coming back to score in the 94th minute to make it 4–4, with Raja progressing on away goals.[17] This is the record for most combined goals in derby history but the match is also notable for its extraordinary atmosphere, with numerous Tifos being displayed and fireworks and flares going off throughout the match,[18] [19] the latter of which there were so many it looked at times that the stands were on fire.[20]
These are the meetings in the Botola
| Season | Date | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 February 1957 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | |
| 2 June 1957 | Wydad | 3–0 | Raja | |
| Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | ||
| Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | ||
| 1958–1959 | Raja | 0–2 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–2 | Raja | ||
| 1959–1960 | Raja | 2–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1960–1961 | Raja | 2–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1961–1962 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | ||
| 1962–1963 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–1 | Raja | ||
| 1963–1964 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | ||
| 1964–1965 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| Raja | 1–2 | Wydad | ||
| 1965–1966 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| 29 May 1966 | Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | |
| 1966–1967 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1967–1968 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–3 | Raja | ||
| 1968–1969 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | ||
| 1969–1970 | Raja | 0–2 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1970–1971 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1971–1972 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | ||
| 1972–1973 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | ||
| 1973–1974 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1974–1975 | Raja– | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1975–1976 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | ||
| 1976–1977 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 2–3 | Raja | ||
| 1977–1978 | Raja | 2–2 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | ||
| 1978–1979 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | ||
| 1979–1980 | 23 December 1979 | Raja | 1–2 | Wydad |
| 4 May 1980 | Wydad | 0–2 | Raja | |
| 1980–1981 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | |
| Wydad | 1–2 | Raja | ||
| 1981–1982 | 19 December 1981 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad |
| 8 May 1982 | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| 1982–1983 | 4 December 1982 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad |
| 22 May 1983 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| 1983–1984 | 21 January 1984 | Raja | 3–1 | Wydad |
| 26 May 1984 | Wydad | 2–2 | Raja | |
| 1984–1985 | 25 November 1984 | Raja | 2–0 | Wydad |
| 12 May 1985 | Wydad | 1–2 | Raja | |
| 1985–1986 | 12 November 1985 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad |
| 22 February 1986 | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| 25 April 1987 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| 23 May 1987 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| 1987–1988 | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | ||
| 1988–1989 | 5 February 1989 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad |
| 4 June 1989 | Wydad | 3–1 | Raja | |
| 1989–1990 | 26 November 1989 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad |
| 5 May 1990 | Wydad | 2–1 | Raja | |
| 8 December 1990 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| 5 May 1991 | Wydad | 0–1 | Raja | |
| 1991–1992 | 24 November 1991 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad |
| 10 May 1992 | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| 1992–1993 | 13 December 1992 | Raja | 1–2 | Wydad |
| May 1993 | Wydad | 2–2 | Raja | |
| 1993–1994 | 5 December 1993 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad |
| 3 April 1994 | Wydad | 0–0 | Raja | |
| 1994–1995 | 18 December 1994 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad |
| 21 May 1995 | Wydad | 2–1 | Raja | |
| 1995–1996 | 11 February 1996 | Wydad | 0–3 | Raja |
| 26 May 1996 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad | |
| 1996–1997 | 3 November 1996 | Wydad | 2–2 | Raja |
| 17 May 1997 | Raja | 2–2 | Wydad | |
| 1997–1998 | 2 November 1997 | Wydad | 0–0 | Raja |
| 29 Mars 1998 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| 1998–1999 | 13 December 1998 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad |
| 30 May 1999 | Wydad | 0–1 | Raja | |
| 1999–2000 | 21 November 1999 | Wydad | 0–0 | Raja |
| 14 May 2000 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| 2000–2001 | 2 December 2000 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad |
| 6 April 2001 | Wydad | 0-1 | Raja | |
| 2001–2002 | 9 December 2001 | Wydad | 2–0 | Raja |
| 19 May 2002 | Raja | 0–2 | Wydad | |
| 2002–2003 | 19 January 2003 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad |
| 15 June 2003 | Wydad | 0–3 | Raja | |
| 2003–2004 | 16 November 2003 | Wydad | 0–1 | Raja |
| 2 May 2004 | Raja | 2–0 | Wydad | |
| 2004–2005 | 5 December 2004 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad |
| 30 April 2005 | Wydad | 0–1 | Raja | |
| 2005–2006 | 4 December 2005 | Wydad | 1–2 | Raja |
| 24 May 2006 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| 2006–2007 | 12 November 2006 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad |
| 18 February 2007 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| 2007–2008 | 24 November 2007 | Raja | 2–0 | Wydad |
| 23 Mars 2008 | Wydad | 0–1 | Raja | |
| 2008–2009 | 16 November 2008 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad |
| 3 April 2009 | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| 2009–2010 | 20 December 2009 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad |
| 18 April 2010 | Wydad | 0–1 | Raja | |
| 2010–2011 | 4 December 2010 | Raja | 1–2 | Wydad |
| 10 April 2011 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| 2011–2012 | 31 December 2011 | Wydad | 0–0 | Raja |
| 6 May 2012 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad | |
| 2012–2013 | 16 December 2012 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad |
| 29 April 2013 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| 24 November 2013 | Wydad | 1–1 | Raja | |
| 6 April 2014 | Raja | 2–0 | Wydad | |
| 2014–2015 | 30 November 2014 | Wydad | 2–1 | Raja |
| 11 April 2015 | Raja | 2–2 | Wydad | |
| 2015–2016 | 20 December 2015 | Wydad | 0–0 | Raja |
| 8 May 2016 | Raja | 3–0 | Wydad | |
| 2016–2017 | 27 November 2016 | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad |
| 23 April 2017 | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| 2017–2018 | 10 February 2018 | Wydad | 1–2 | Raja |
| 14 April 2018 | Raja | 1–1 | Wydad | |
| 2018–2019 | 6 January 2019 | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad |
| 21 April 2019 | Wydad | 2–2 | Raja | |
| 2019–2020 | 22 December 2019 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad |
| 24 September 2020 | Wydad | 0–0[21] | Raja | |
| 2020–2021 | 21 Mars 2021 | Wydad | 2–0 | Raja |
| 3 July 2021 | Raja | 1–2 | Wydad | |
| 2021–2022 | 6 November 2021 | Wydad | 1–1[22] | Raja |
| 16 June 2022 | Raja | 2–0[23] | Wydad | |
| 2022–2023 | 23 October 2022 | Wydad | 2–1[24] | Raja |
| 5 April 2023 | Raja | 2–2[25] | Wydad | |
| 2023–2024 | 3 January 2024 | Wydad | 0–2[26] | Raja |
| 02 June 2024 | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad |
These are the meetings in the Moroccan Throne Cup
| Season | Date | Round | Home team | Score | Away team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963–1964 | 17 May 1964 | 1/2 Final | Raja | 0–0 | Wydad | |
| 19 May 1964 | 1/2 Final Replay | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | ||
| 1964–1965 | 1/4 Final | Raja | 2–1 | Wydad | ||
| 1973–1974 | 1/2 Final | Wydad | 1–1(3–4 p.) | Raja | ||
| 1989–1990 | 1/16 Final | Wydad | 2–2 | Raja | ||
| 1/16 Final Replay | Raja | 1–0 | Wydad | |||
| 1992–1993 | 1/4 Final | Wydad | 1–2 | Raja | ||
| 1995–1996 | 18 February 1996 | 1/4 Final | Raja | 5–1 | Wydad | |
| 1997–1998 | 4 February 1998 | 1/4 Final | Wydad | 2–2 | Raja | |
| 6 February 1998 | 1/4 Final Replay | Raja | 0–1 | Wydad | ||
| 2000–2001 | 29 September 2001 | 1/4 Final | Wydad | 1–0 | Raja | |
| 2002–2003 | 11 October 2003 | 1/2 Final | Wydad | 1–1(12–11 p.) | Raja | |
| 2006–2007 | 20 October 2007 | 1/4 Final | Raja | 0–2 | Wydad | |
| 2011–2012 | 6 November 2012 | 1/2 Final | Wydad | 1–3 | Raja | |
| 2020–2021 | 7 July 2022 | 1/4 Final | Wydad | 2–0[27] | Raja | |
| 2021–2022 | 9 July 2023 | 1/2 Final | Wydad | 0–1[28] | Raja |
These are the meetings in the Arab Club Champions Cup
| Season | Date | Round | Home team | Score | Away team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–2020 | 2 November 2019 | 1/16 Final 1st leg | Raja | 1–1[29] | Wydad |
| 23 November 2019 | 1/16 Final 2nd leg | Wydad | 4–4[30] | Raja |
| Competition | Matches | Wins | Draws | Goals | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCA | WAC | RCA | WAC | ||||
| Botola | 136 | 39 | 33 | 64 | 121 | 109 | |
| Throne Cup | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 17 | |
| Arab Club Champions Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | |
| Total | 154 | 46 | 39 | 69 | 146 | 131 | |
Wydad leads Raja in terms of overall trophies, while both have three titles in the CAF Champions League.[31]
| Raja CA | Competition | Wydad AC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | |||
| 13 | Botola Pro | 22 | |
| 9 | Moroccan Cup | 9 | |
| 22 | Aggregate | 31 | |
| Continental | |||
| 3 | CAF Champions League | 3 | |
| 2 | CAF Confederation Cup | 0 | |
| 2 | CAF Super Cup | 1 | |
| 0 | African Cup Winners' Cup (defunct) | 1 | |
| 1 | CAF Cup (defunct) | 0 | |
| 8 | Aggregate | 5 | |
| International | |||
| 1 | Afro-Asian Club Championship | 1 | |
| 1 | Aggregate | 1 | |
| 31 | Total Aggregate | 37 | |
| P. | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 |
| Team | Result | Date | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raja | 5–1 | 8 February 1996 | Throne Cup |
| Wydad | 3–0 | 10 February 1957 | Botola |
| Club | Games | Period | Wins | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja | 11 | 1973 – 1978 | 3 | 8 |
| Wydad | 8 | 1968 – 1972 | 2 | 6 |
| 26 May 1996 – 13 December 1998 | 2 | 6 |
| Club | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Raja |  Said Ghandi | 7 |
| Wydad | Rachid Daoudi | 5 |
| Mohammed Benchrifa |
| Club | Player | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raja | Mohammed Oulhaj | 21 | |
| Wydad | Nadir Lamyaghri | 19 |
The first players to move from Raja to Wydad and back were Abdulaziz Anini and Ezzeddine Abdel-Rafi in 1973.[32]
Abdallah Azhar Mustapha Milazzo Moussa Hanoun Mohamed Maâroufi Azzeddine Abderrafii Moustapha Choukri Aziz Kharbouch Jawad El Andaloussi Mohamed Fennani Abdellatif Beggar Jawad Chennaoui Faouzi Kadmiri Nabil Okba Adil Serraj Zakaria Aboub 2004: Mourad Fellah 2008: Mustapha Bidoudane 2009: Mohamed Armoumen Mouhssine Iajour Said Fettah 2011: Hicham El Amrani Omar Najdi 2012: Anas El Asbahi Zakaria El Hachimi Hamid Ahadad Jamal Harkass Abdelkader Jalal Mohamed Beggar Mustapha Bettache Abdelkader Bozambo Abdelaziz Anini Mohammed Sahraoui Mohammed Sahil Mustapha Bark Hassan Hirs Mustapha El Gherchi Khalil Azmi Khalid Fouhami 2009: Youness Bellakhder 2010: Tarik El Jarmouni 2010: Zakaria Ismaili Abdelhaq Ait Laarif Abdelmajid Eddine Jawad Issine Youssef Kaddioui 2017: Abdeladim Khadrouf Mohammed Nahiri Haitam El Bahja Abdelhak El Kadmiri Abderrahman Mahjoub Abdelkader Lakhmiri
Oscar Fulloné
Faouzi Benzarti
Juan Carlos Garrido Kacem Kacemi Père Jégo Mustapha Bettache
Yuriy Sevastyanenko