In the season 1956/1957, when Crvena zvezda was the best in Yugoslavia for the fourth time, a new rival stepped onto the scene – Vojvodina, as dangerous, as combative and as prepared for the biggest clashes. No one paid any attention to the team from Novi Sad at the time, because Crvena zvezda was busy with Hajduk from Split; the two teams alternated in the lead up to the eighth round. The crucial battle that autumn, took place in the ninth round, when Crvena zvezda Belgrade convincingly defeated Hajduk 3:0, went ahead by two points and remained in first position until the end of the Championship.
A serious first-place pretender, Vojvodina, defeated in the last round of the autumn session Dinamo Zagreb (3:1), and Crvena zvezda lost to Lokomotiva 1-0, at home. Despite the unexpected defeat, Crvena zvezda maintained the first place with 24 points, but it was only one point more than the second team, Vojvodina.
As the championship continued, Vojvodina followed Crvena zvezda very closely, and the championship derby was played in Novi Sad. Rudinski gave Crvena zvezda the lead 66 minutes into the game, but ten minutes later Vukelić evened the score. However, three minutes before the end of the match Ivan Popović brought a big victory to the guests. That was the final word and it was clear to everyone who the champion would be. Crvena zvezda theoretically secured the title three rounds before the end, and the end of the season the team’s balance was as follows: 26 17 5 4 66:23 39
Roster:
Vladimir Beara 17 - 14 received goals, Stevan Veselinov 4, Vladimir Durković 6-1, Miljan Zeković 22, Momčilo Ilić 1, Bora Kostić 24-27, Srboljub Krivokuća 9-9 received goals, Predrag Marković 2, Rajko Mitić 21-4, Branko Nešović 6, Vladica Popović 24-1, Ivan Popović 12-7, Anton Rudinski 24-12, Ljubiša Spajić 23, Branko Stanković 18, Nikola Stipić 1, Lazar Tasić 25-2, Ivan Toplak 12-6, Novak Tomić 5, Dragoslav Šekularac 23-4, Jovan Cokić 7-2.
Coach:
Milovan Ćirić