The Philadelphia Fair Play Moment Of The Season

Lega Calcio Serie A and Philadelphia have announced that the “Philadelphia Fair Play Moment of the Season” award has been presented to Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic for being the protagonist, during the Bologna v Napoli match, of the episode that best embodied the shared principles of friendship, sportsmanship and loyalty throughout the 2025/2026 season.

At the end of the match played at the “Renato Dall’Ara” stadium on 9 November 2025, despite the defeat, Milinkovic-Savic approached young Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina to embrace him and congratulate him on his just-made Serie A debut: a gesture as simple as it is significant, encapsulating the most sincere values of sport.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s hug to debutant Pessina is a perfect illustration of what the football we love is really all about.

"This gesture is worth more than a goal or a decisive save - said Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Lega Calcio Serie A -. On the pitch, competition is sacrosanct, but it is essential never to lose sight of the human aspect, all the more so when you see in an opponent’s eyes the dreams and emotions that you yourself experienced at the start of your career. Being able to seize this moment, especially in the aftermath of a match, represents the authentic and romantic side of our sport".

That is why we are awarding the Philadelphia Fair Play Moment of the Season to Milinkovic-Savic. With a simple and spontaneous gesture, he reminded us that respect, brotherhood and sharing a dream matter just as much as the result or the shirt.

(Photo LaPresse)