In the heart of Serbia, far from the limelight of Europe’s traditional water polo giants, Radnički Kragujevac is quietly reshaping the hierarchy of the sport on the continent.
This year, the club’s meteoric rise culminated with a stunning domestic double—winning both the Serbian Super League and the Adriatic Regional League. As top players from around Europe flock to Kragujevac, the question arises: how did Radnički become a new epicentre of water polo excellence?
Established in 2012, Radnički swiftly made headlines, capturing the Euro Cup in its inaugural 2012–13 season and reaching the Champions League final in 2014. But financial turbulence abruptly ended the dream in 2016, forcing the club to shut down. Yet, remarkably, from the ashes emerged a phoenix: KVK Radnički was founded later that same year, albeit at the very bottom of Serbia’s water polo pyramid.
Under the meticulous guidance of the now Olympic gold medal winning coach Uroš Stevanović and sporting director Jugoslav Vasović, the club patiently climbed the ranks, meticulously developing youth players while maintaining a careful eye on financial sustainability. Their strategy paid dividends swiftly: by 2019, Radnički returned to Serbia’s top division, and the trophies have now followed.
The 2024–25 season stands as the crowning achievement thus far. A blend of shrewd acquisitions and tactical brilliance propelled Radnički to an unprecedented domestic and regional double. Significantly, they were also this season’s Euro Cup runners-up, narrowly losing to perennial heavyweights Pro Recco in a testament to their burgeoning European credentials.
Central to this swift rise has been Radnički’s ability to attract world-class talent. Signings over the last year include Andrija Prlainovic, the formidable Rašović brothers, Viktor and Strahinja, both Serbian national team mainstays and decorated Olympians. Last season, they pulled in the might of Nikola Jaksic, Radomir Drasovic and Boris Vapenski. Their arrival signals Radnički’s ambition to become a sustained force at Europe’s highest levels.
Additionally, the acquisitions of Serbian stalwarts Sava Ranđelović and Nikola Dedović, both Olympic champions, alongside Greek star Angelos Vlachopoulos—a proven scorer and influential playmaker—underline the club’s determination to blend experienced winners with emerging talents.
How has Radnički, a relatively young and ambitious Serbian water polo club, managed to attract such high-profile talent?
The answer lies in a mixture of shrewd opportunism, astute management, and impeccable timing. Radnički’s remarkable ascent has coincided neatly with the mounting turmoil engulfing Serbian water polo giants Novi Beograd.
At the heart of Novi Beograd’s troubles are high-profile disputes involving former star players such as Dušan Mandić and Nikola Jakšić—conflicts that have seen both players exit the club amid considerable acrimony. Jakšić, in particular, is believed to have been hampered by disagreements with former head coach Živko Gocić and club director Slobodan Soro. There was no doubt that we were no longer seeing the best of Jakšić at Novi Beograd.
Exploiting this uncertainty, Radnički have moved swiftly to mop up much of Novi Beograd’s talent over the past few seasons—as recently as this week securing the signature of Angelos Vlachopoulos, an acclaimed international star—capitalising on their rival’s instability. With four key players and the entire coaching staff departing Novi Beograd, it appears increasingly likely that Radnički will continue to benefit from their adversary’s unraveling.
However, Radnički’s success cannot simply be attributed to good timing or rival misfortune. Behind the scenes, the club is backed by increasingly robust financial foundations. Their primary sponsor, KnowIt—a rapidly growing Serbian IT firm—has played a central role in strengthening the club’s ambitions. Over the past three years, the company has recorded profits exceeding €120 million, enabling a relatively significant injection of resources into Radnički’s sporting project. KnowIt’s success, fostered in part by favourable domestic business conditions and government partnerships, has made Radnički one of the best-resourced clubs in the region.
This financial muscle has allowed the club to pursue a more expansive sporting vision. But the money alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
Much of Radnički’s appeal lies in its nurturing environment under the guidance of respected head coach Uroš Stevanović. Known for his ability to elevate individual player performance, Stevanović has built a system that helps young and ambitious talents thrive. Players such as Lukić and Pljevančić have flourished in Kragujevac, reinforcing the club’s growing reputation as a destination where careers are built, not stalled.
Expectations for the upcoming season are understandably lofty. With an enhanced squad and the unwavering support of committed local stakeholders, Radnički is now targeting success on the grandest of stages—the Champions League. Domestically, they face limited resistance: traditional rivals Crvena Zvezda remain in flux, Šabac continues to grapple with squad depth, and Partizan is focused on youth-led rebuilding.
From the brink of financial collapse to the threshold of continental glory, Radnički Kragujevac’s journey is one of resilience, foresight, and quiet revolution. For Europe’s traditional water polo powers, the rise of this Serbian upstart is impossible to ignore.
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