ライバル (raibaru) means “rival” | MotiTan Japanese Dictionary

More examples

大会では、長年のライバルと初めて同じチームになりました。tai kai de wa naga nen no ra i ba ru to haji me te ona ji chī mu ni na ri ma shi ta

In the tournament, I was on the same team as my longtime rival for the first time.

Presents a person or group as a close competitor whose success is measured against another's.

競争相手kyōsōaite: A person, team, company, or country competing with another for the same goal.

同じ目標に向かって競い合い、互いに相手を意識する者。ona ji moku hyō ni mu ka tte kiso i a i taga i ni ai te o i shiki su ru mono

ライバル (raibaru) was borrowed from English rival, a word traced to Latin rivalis, meaning a person who used the same stream as another.

English speakers use rival for people, teams, companies, and countries, so the word applies beyond sports and fits many everyday comparisons.