One of the greatest players in water polo history joined the European Aquatics U20 Water Polo Championships Division 1 in Portugal as an Athlete Ambassador, turning three days of competition into an experience young athletes are unlikely to forget.

For many young water polo players, Filip Filipović is someone they know from Olympic finals, major international tournaments and countless YouTube clips. In Portugal, however, they had the opportunity to meet him in person, ask him questions and hear first-hand about the journey behind one of the most successful careers in the sport.

Filipović, a four-time Olympic and World medallist, seven-time European medallist and five-time European Aquatics Player of the Year, was in Portugal for the first time in his life, and also made his debut in this role as an European Aquatics Athlete Ambassador, joining the U20 Division 1 Championship not simply as a guest, but as an active part of the athletes’ experience.

Over three days, he watched matches from the stands, greeted players after their games, congratulated them on their performances, posed for photographs and spoke openly with both athletes and coaches. Most importantly, he made time to share his experience and advice with the young players competing in Portugal.

Around 80 young athletes gathered to meet Filipović

The highlight of Filipović’s visit came when around 80 young athletes from Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, Israel and host nation Portugal gathered for a special session with one of the biggest names in the history of the sport. For many of them, it was the first opportunity to sit in the same room with an athlete whose matches and highlights they had watched for years.

Filipović spoke openly about adapting everyday life to the demands of high-level sport, different types and approaches to training, motivation, dealing with difficult periods and the mindset needed to stay in sport for the long term.

The session quickly developed into an open and relaxed conversation. Athletes – and their coaches – were encouraged to ask whatever they wanted, giving the young players a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who has experienced almost everything international water polo has to offer.

One message in particular captured both Filipović’s approach and what he wanted the young athletes to take away from the evening:

“Failing is OK. I’m failing probably every day, that is not a shame. But I never gave up.”

It was a simple message, but perhaps the most important one he could leave with a room full of young athletes whose sporting journeys are only beginning.

A day earlier, Team Finland shared an experience to remember — including a total solar eclipse

The large session was not the only special moment of Filipović’s visit. A day earlier, the Finnish team joined him in Lisbon’s Eduardo VII Park for a much smaller and rather unique gathering. And the timing could hardly have been better.

Together, Filipović and the young Finnish players witnessed the total solar eclipse – a rare natural phenomenon that many people may only have the chance to experience once in their lifetime. Watching it together with one of the greatest water polo players of his generation made the moment even more extraordinary for the young athletes.

Away from the swimming pool, matches and competition pressure, the Finnish players had the opportunity simply to spend time with Filipović, talk about water polo and life in sport, and share an experience that had nothing to do with a scoreboard.

A total solar eclipse may already be a once-in-a-lifetime memory. Experiencing it alongside a player many of them had previously only seen on a screen made it one they are unlikely to forget.

From watching him on YouTube to talking to him face-to-face

The reactions from the athletes perhaps best demonstrated the impact of the initiative.

“I’ve watched so many clips of him on YouTube, and now he is standing in front of me, talking to me and answering my question. This was an amazing experience, and thank you to European Aquatics for making it possible.”

Another young player highlighted the value of hearing directly from someone who has reached the very top:

“It was great to hear a top-level athlete share his experience and the advice he would give to us as young players.”

For others, even Filipović’s presence around the matches came as a surprise:

“It was really nice to meet Filip in person. I had never met him before, and I still can’t believe he came all the way to Portugal to watch us play and shake our hands after the game.”

And perhaps one reaction summed up the difference between knowing a sporting legend through a screen and actually meeting him:

“You can watch him play on YouTube all the time, but when you meet someone like him in person, it’s mind-blowing. We really enjoyed it and hope we will have another opportunity like this, with Filip or another player like him.”

The conversations naturally continued after the official sessions. Filipović stayed for photographs, individual questions and personal advice, giving the young players the opportunity to spend a little more time with someone whose career represents what many of them are dreaming of achieving.

At a championship where medals, results and performances naturally take centre stage, Filipović’s visit offered something different: a chance for the next generation to connect directly with one of the greats of the game and to understand that behind every medal, title and highlight reel are years of work, setbacks, learning – and refusing to give up.