This June, sporting legends and broadcasting greats gathered in Zadar for the first-ever Sofascore Player of the Season Award Show, filmed during the Sunset Sports Festival. The event brought together live sports entertainment and Sofascore’s data-driven approach to recognizing football’s best. all set in a city known for its strong sporting culture. Directed by Pete Radovich and hosted by Kate Scott alongside Peter Schmeichel, the shoot marked a new way of celebrating player achievements on a global stage.
And now, ahead of the new football season, the show has premiered on CBS, bringing Sofascore’s Player of the Season trophies to millions of viewers worldwide. Featuring exclusive player messages, behind-the-scenes moments from Zadar, and the stories behind each award, it offers fans a unique way to relive the season’s standout performances before the action starts again.
In this article we will bring you some exclusive clips from the show. First, a little introduction from Kate Scott about Sofascore Ratings.
Celebrating the Season’s Best, Supported by Sofascore Ratings
The show honored last season’s top performers from Europe’s biggest leagues, chosen only through performance-based Sofascore’s ratings. Mohamed Salah led the Premier League with a 7.78, Raphinha topped LaLiga with a 7.80, Mattia Zaccagni claimed Serie A’s best with 7.34, Joshua Kimmich was Bundesliga’s standout with 7.91, and Achraf Hakimi shined in Ligue 1 with a 7.76.
Beyond the men’s game, the awards also celebrated the highest-rated player in the UEFA Champions League, in top leagues of women football, but many more around the globe.
During the broadcast, all top leagues presented their top five rated players, with the winners given extra attention in a special Inside the Numbers segment led by reporter Nico Cantor.
Football Legends and Top Analysts Bring Exclusive Insights to Sofascore Player of the Season Award Show
The show featured a line-up of live interviews and recorded messages with voices fans know and trust. Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool defender turned respected TV pundit for CBS, explained how stats help bringing football stories to life. Micah Richards, the dynamic former England international and now also a CBS studio analyst, added his take on the best of modern football. In his own, perky style, of course. Alessandro Del Piero, legendary Juventus striker and football icon, shared some insights about Serie A top players.
Here is what Jamie Carragher has to say about Premier League winner:
Raphinha, not only LaLiga’s top-rated player but also the highest rated player in the Champions League, sent a recorded message that captured his gratitude in being recognized through Sofascore’s metrics.
And in the most emotinal moment, Luka Modrić, Sofascore’s first brand ambassador and one of football’s most respected figures, sent a video message as he received the first ever Founders’ Legend Award. This exclusive trophy, presented by co-founders Zlatko Hrkać and Ivan Bešlić, recognizes not only a player’s on-field excellence but also his special connection to the platform and its journey.
Big Names on Stage and in the Audience
Guiding the broadcast were Kate Scott, one of the most respected voices in American sports broadcasting, and Peter Schmeichel, legendary Manchester United goalkeeper and Premier League Hall of Famer. Adding his own style, Nico Cantor brought the Inside the Numbers segment to life, explaining the stats behind each winner’s season.
The show also featured perspectives from Marco Messina, well-known for his deep coverage of Italian football, and Isabela Pagliari, a familiar face in European and South American football reporting. All of it was brought together under the direction of Pete Radovich, the Emmy Award-winning producer known for lifting sports storytelling to a cinematic level.
Big star names in the audience as well. Dimitar Berbatov, former Manchester United and Tottenham striker, UFC legend Stipe Miočić or Šime Vrsaljko, Croatia’s World Cup finalist and former Atlético Madrid defender, being just some of them. Their presence added extra prestige to a night already filled with football excellence.
From TV to City Streets – Player of the Season Goes Public
Not only did the Sofascore Player of the Season Show aired on CBS across the globe, but our stars were also front and center in the streets of Europe. Massive billboards across key cities – including Barcelona, London, Liverpool, Munich, Rome, Frankfurt, Lyon, and Metz, now feature Soafscore’s best performers.
In Barcelona, the billboards celebrate Raphinha and Alexia Putellas, Munich has Joshua Kimmich and his trophy, Mo Salah’s highest rated season is visible in Liverpool, Paris celebrates Achraf Hakimi and so on.
It’s our way of taking performances from the pitch and putting them where fans live and breathe, proving that the Sofascore Player of the Season Trophy is the only award that counts. Supported by objective Sofascore Ratings, not popularity votes, it recognizes players for what they truly delivered on the pitch across the entire season.
Just the Beginning for a New Era of Football Recognition
From Zadar’s Sunset Sports Festival to CBS screens and billboards across Europe, the Sofascore Player of the Season Award Show brought objective football recognition to a worldwide audience. With every trophy supported by season-long performance data, the show closed one chapter while opening another, setting the stage for a new season of stats, stories and standout performances.