The first day of the Sunset Sports Media Festival’s third edition was marked by an exclusive conversation between the legendary Italian soccer player Alessandro Del Piero and the renowned sports journalist Guillem Balague. During the intimate conversation, Del Piero revealed numerous secrets from his career, personal life and plans for the future, enthralling the audience with honest and emotional stories. He revealed to the participants of the festival that he will receive a professional coaching license next week, in addition, among the visitors there were many international and domestic well-known names such as Pete Radovich, Ivica Kostelić, Bojana Jovanović, Maja Poljak, Matteo Zuretti, Stephen Espinoza, Alojzije Janković, Frank Leenders and numerous other stars from the world of sports, media and business.
„As an American from Croatia, I told my friends that I want to start a festival in Croatia – something big, something that Croatia will be proud of, something that will make us a country on the level of other great countries. This potential for promoting Croatia through sports is already visible, but I also believe that we can always do more. Although tourism plays an important role in attracting visitors, we must not ignore the importance of a positive image of the country,”, said multiple award-winning producer and creative director of CBS Sports Pete Radovich.
Football passion and unwavering dedication of Alessandro Del Piero
In his conversation with the versatile author of biographies of the greatest football legends Guillem Balague, Del Piero shared the intimate details of his life and career. He told those gathered at the Fortis Club all about the challenges he faced during his rich career and how he looks at his mistakes, pointing out the way that he always perceived defeats: „Life is full of victories and defeats, and the key is in the way we approach each challenge. My approach is: either win or learn. Every obstacle in my way was an opportunity for growth and progress, and every defeat was a lesson that made me stronger. When I was injured, many doubted my comeback, but despite the doubts, I managed to return to the top.“
Recalling the time when he himself watched his idols on television with admiration, Del Piero explained why he was always careful with his words in front of the media, aware of the influence he has on the young fans who follow him. He thinks about football every day and longs to be actively involved in the sport, either as a coach, president or manager. At the Festival, he delighted those present with the great news that he will receive a professional coaching license next week, which once again confirms his dedication and emphasizes the importance of education in achieving new goals and success. The legendary Italian soccer player, known for his incredible achievements in the soccer world, after the end of his great sports career in 2012, became a soccer analyst for numerous Italian TV companies and a commentator for matches on CBS and Paramount+. He opened a renowned Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, owns a professional football club for the development of young talents LA10 FC and co-founded the prominent sports organization EDGE Americas Sports, but it is clearly visible that the great Del Piero will not stop there.
Strengthening the community through sports values
The Sunset Sports Media Festival, with its vision and comprehensiveness, represents a unique meeting place where through various activities, such as panels, sports events and strategic partnerships, the importance of networking, inclusion, talent promotion and community support is emphasized. Thus, the director of the Sunset Sports Media Festival Damjan Rudež, in cooperation with the Tourist Board of the city of Zadar, as part of the Open day of the Association of the Physically Disabled of Zadar County, played a 3×3 wheelchair basketball game with the players of KKOI Zadar together with the president of the Sports Academic Association of the University of Zadar, Tonči Jerak, and prominent player of the new Croatian champion KK Zadar Krševan Klarica.
Sofascore Player of the Season
Sofascore company, as a strategic partner of the Sunset Sports Media Festival, announced a new partnership at the Festival with Brazilian football legend Zico, who wished success to the Festival through a video, and presented his new Player of the Season Award on the first night of the Festival. This award recognizes consistent excellence and determination demonstrated throughout the season, spanning 50 leagues around the world and rewarding the best from each of those leagues.
The second day of the festival brings interesting lectures from the famous Croatian Olympian Ivica Kostelić, s-sport manager at Ferrari Rong Chen, founder and CEO of Good Game Global Nikola Stolnik, correspondent for TNT Sports Brazil Fred Caldeira, one of the most prominent characters in history of Croatian boxing Željko Mavrović, Sofascore co-founder Ivan Bešlić and many others. The evening is reserved for relaxation with the Sunset Boat Party and Sunset Garden Sip. The program is available via the link, and you can follow all the news on the Facebook and Instagram profiles of the Festival.
