Heineken: When Global Property Meets Czech Heartcore

Global Property, Local Truths

Heineken’s connection with the UEFA Champions League is well-known. After all, nothing compares to that atmosphere; it’s the pinnacle for every fan. But Czech football culture speaks a different language. Here, you’ll find the same passion not only on the grandest stages, but also on the small pitches in villages and towns, where loyalty is lived every weekend.

So instead of repackaging a global asset, we looked inward. The goal? Find a way to celebrate the real fans. The ones who shape their lives around their local club, even if that club plays in front of fifty people and a dog.

From Champions League to Sunday League

We launched a nationwide scouting campaign to find the most passionate, selfless, and legendary local football supporters in the Czech Republic. To lead the hunt, we brought together two names who live and breathe the game in their own way: former league player and TV pundit Zdeněk Folprecht teamed up with rapper and Liberec football die-hard Paulie Garand. Together, they travelled across the country to find four local legends who truly lived for their clubs.

Together, they found four community heroes:

• Jindra, husband of Miss Sparta, who produced the official anthem and merch for Sokol Postřekov.

• Tomáš, who adjusted his job to take care of TJ Kuks, a legacy from his grandfather and father.

• Whitey, caretaker of TJ Tošanovice, who redone club facilities with his own hands and visited an important match even on his honeymoon.

• And Roman, who does the first and the last for FC Lahošť, and all his tattoos have football meaning.

The People Decide

Each of the four finalists stepped into the spotlight in a knockout-style vote. We built full fan profiles and the campaign around real stories and real passion. Content rolled out across social, podcasts and the native platform created in partnership with Seznam Brand Studio. The knockout voting started and climaxed through the country’s most-followed football podcast, Kudy Běží Zajíc.

An Experience That Stays With You

For the winner, Tomáš, the journey didn’t end with a vote. It led all the way to Munich and the UEFA Champions League Final. Though he’s never worn a professional jersey, his love for the game runs deep. He represents the kind of fan who keeps football alive from the grassroots up, shaping the next generation not from the top, but from the touchline.

Big Numbers for Local Heroes

The campaign gave grassroots fans a national stage, and the country listened. What started as a story about four unknown supporters turned into a movement that reached millions. It proved that when you tap into real emotion and local pride, even the smallest clubs can spark national attention. All it takes is the right story, told the right way.