The eternal derby

On January 5th, 1947, on the Partizan stadium, with the temperature of minus 19 degrees Celsius, the first match between the Belgrade Red Star and Partizan teams took place. Few of the frostbitten spectators on the stadium, on that cold winter day, could have guessed that they are witnessing a historic event - the birth of the greatest derby in the history of the Yugoslav football, popularly called the "eternal".

At least twice a year, there is a football holiday in Belgrade - crowds of football fans from all over Yugoslavia rush towards the Topcidersko brdo hill, where the both major rivals' stadiums are located. The derby has long ago spread beyond the strict terms of a sport event and grown to be a social event, and this is why, now, there are those who come to the stadium only to be seen there.

Any supporter of the Red Star or the Partizan would say that no rivalry could be compared to the rivalry of these two Belgrade teams. Crowded stands, the atmosphere similar to the one in South America, the master moves of great players, the unforgettable goals scored, the uncertainty of outcomes regardless of the standing and condition of both teams - all these are the elements of a derby which does not leave even the neutral viewers unruffled.

Players, referees, coaches, supporters come and go… But there remains a derby without which a story about the Yugoslav football could not be imagined.

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