"Orange is the coloooor!" echoed through Dubrovnik's Old City harbour last week, reverberating off the stone façades as thick orange smoke filled the air. It marked another exhilarating Wild League final, with the Mlini-based team, FUN H20, emerging victorious.

Their passionate supporters, representing all generations, brought the celebration to life with an impressive fleet of boats—rowboats, speedboats, and even excursion vessels—a drumming squad, and a contagious energy. Every match was a lively spectacle brimming with excitement, flares, and a vibrant atmosphere. So, it was no surprise that this year's final culminated in an eruption of joy in front of St. Blaise's Church.

Smiling, I couldn’t help but wonder, "What must the tourists be thinking? Do they even have a clue what’s happening?" If any Dutch tourists were among the crowd, they must have delighted in the explosion of "their" signature orange colour.

Before moving to Dubrovnik, I had only ever seen fleeting moments of water polo during the Olympics, and I must admit, I didn’t fully grasp the Wild League’s significance. Initially, I thought it was just a casual game—pass the ball here, pass it there, and that’s it. But I quickly learned that this competition has deep roots, unofficially stretching back 80 years and officially since 1983. In Dubrovnik, water polo isn’t just a sport; it's an integral part of life, the "most important minor thing in the world." A little digging reveals that this region has long been a breeding ground for some of the world’s greatest water polo players.

Once upon a time, Dubrovnik’s beaches were where families spent generations swimming together. Sadly, the rise of mass tourism and changing trends have stripped some of these places of their local spirit. Yet, there are still pockets of tradition where kids freely swim, jump off rocks, play “picigin, and toss balls while watching older generations play water polo. This is how today's Wild League players are shaped, and with regular training, some even rise to global water polo fame. Watching their fathers and grandfathers, they naturally continued the tradition—playing water polo.

I once thought it was merely "tossing a ball" in the sea. What a rookie mistake! I vividly remember my first (and last) attempt—ironically, at the pool in Mlini, the home of FUN H20. It quickly dawned on me that water polo is an incredibly tough sport. You need the lungs of a blue whale, the swimming skills of Mark Spitz, and the strength of Rambo. And sadly, I had none of those!

As usual, this year’s final drew a massive crowd of spectators, both locals and tourists alike. The exhibition matches, held annually before the main “clash” (or perhaps "brawl" would be a more fitting description for the intensity of the final), feature local public figures competing against the Dubrovnik Summer Festival team (this year, bolstered by the Sinković brothers). Foreign tourists, probably initially stunned by all the noise and energy, later captured the festive atmosphere, sending photos and videos of the city celebrating amateur sports in its most genuine form: with song and friendship. After the typical staged influencer shots, the world finally got to see a raw and beautiful side of Dubrovnik. One of the best outcomes was that news of the Wild League final spread globally across various water polo websites. Now that is what I call effective promotion, with a capital P!

So, once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone who keeps this wonderful tradition alive—the players, the organizers, and especially the fans. And of course, special congratulations to my fellow residents of Župa, FUN H20, who, through their dedication and humanitarian work, set a shining example for younger generations. This is not just a victory for sport, but for friendship and Dubrovnik’s proud traditions!

Read more Englishman in Dubrovnik…well, if you really want to. 

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About the author
Mark Thomas (aka Englez u Dubrovniku) is the editor of The Dubrovnik Times. He was born and educated in the UK and moved to live in Dubrovnik in 1998. He works across a whole range of media, from a daily radio show to TV and in print. Thomas is fluent in Croatian and this column is available in Croatia on the website – Dubrovnik Vjesnik