It is considered the oldest clásico of Mexican football since it dates back to the year 1916.
Atlas represented and was the favorite of the upper class, due to the fact that the founders of the club came from wealthy families and learned the sport of soccer in their travel as students to the United Kingdom.
[citation needed] The first encounter between the two clubs came in a friendly shortly after Atlas was founded, the result was a 0–0 draw.
Chivas were so angered by the result, that they refused to play in the next Liga Amateur de Jalisco tournament of 1917–18, unless the president of refereeing, Justo García Godoy, resigned from his position; when Godoy failed to do so Chivas refused to join the tournament.
The goalkeeper of the Guadalajara, Jaime "Tubo" Gómez, was insulted during a large part of the meeting by the fans.
After seeing that the match would be won by Chivas easily after leading 5–0, "Tubo" requested a magazine from someone outside the field, then he sat next to one of the goalposts and began to read it in clear mockery of Atlas faithful.
On the first occasion, in the summer tournament 2000, Chivas moved on to the semi-finals to tie both encounters 1–1, since the Guadalajara had better position in the general table.
Three and a half years later, in the Opening Tournament 2004, Atlas collected revenge and eliminated their hated rivals by global marker of 4–3.