The most prestigious and long-standing media award in Croatia, Večernjakova ruža, was held for the 32nd time this year, on Friday at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.

Among a number of high-quality projects, the show (Un)success of Champions won the award in Digitalna ruža category, once again confirming its value and strong impact on the audience.

Awards were presented in eight categories, with particularly strong competition in Digitalna ruža category. Nevertheless, thanks to the support of viewers who recognized the authenticity and importance of the show through their votes, (Un)success of Champions took home this prestigious title.

Over the course of three seasons, the show was hosted by renowned sports figures Slaven Bilić, Mario Stanić, and Mirza Džomba, who, through conversations with guests, opened up topics of success as well as the challenges of professional sport. So far, the show has featured 47 top athletes and sports professionals who have spoken candidly about their journeys, from their greatest achievements to moments of doubt, injuries, and obstacles they had to overcome. Their stories form the core idea of the show: to demonstrate to viewers, especially children and young people, that behind every medal lies another, often invisible side, one that requires perseverance, hard work, and self-belief.

Večernjakova ruža award was accepted by the show’s director, Naida Hadžidedić, who took the opportunity to thank partners who have been part of this story from the very beginning, Telekom Srbija and Arena Sport, as well as long-standing partners of the Plazma Youth Sports Games, Bambi and Coca-Cola.

She particularly highlighted the role of the hosts, former elite athletes who, thanks to their own experience in professional sport, understand their guests in a unique way. This allows them, through an added dimension of conversation and the right questions, to bring audiences closer to everything that a career in sport entails. She also emphasized the importance of viewers who follow the show via television, YouTube, and social media, as well as all the guests whose inspiring stories continue to live on through this platform.

This award is yet another confirmation that (Un)success of Champions successfully conveys the key values of sport—perseverance, courage, and the strength to keep going even when it is most difficult.

We thank Večernji list for the nomination and congratulate all winners and nominees, as such recognition confirms the importance of high-quality and authentic media content.

All episodes of (Un)success of Champions can be found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neuspjehprvaka