A Trophy Is Not Enough You Need to Know What You’re Willing to Pay for it

He left home at twenty-two and won the Champions League, but success always comes at a price. Marek Jankulovski knows exactly what he paid for it. Today, he is focused on business and believes in one thing above all else – quality. What should you take from his story before you put everything on the line?

Do you carry anything from sport into business?

The same thing applies in both sport and business – you need confidence and you have to believe in yourself. At the same time, you need humility, because nothing is guaranteed. You cannot keep drifting left and right; you have to stay focused on your goal. I think that applies not only to sport or business, but to life as a whole. 

What lies behind victory?

People see that I won the Champions League and played for one of the best clubs in the world. But they do not see that, at the age of twenty-two, I left home, my parents and my friends behind. Fun, parties and school all had to take a back seat. Looking back now, I know education is important, but back then I only saw football, and my parents supported me in that.

I knew that, in sport, success and failure can come very quickly, and the talent that may have been enough in the Czech Republic was no longer enough abroad. I had to fully commit to one path. At the same time, I missed a large part of my daughters’ childhood, which is not a complaint – it was my choice, and I stood by it. But today, now that I have a granddaughter, I make up for it with a full awareness of what was not possible back then. Success always comes at a cost. The important thing is knowing what you are paying for before you sign.

Many athletes struggle after the end of their careers because they are not prepared for a new identity. Did you know clearly what you wanted to do?

I have to admit that when I retired from football in 2012, I did not have a completely clear plan. My vision was to stay involved in football, and that partly came true, because I spent two years working as sporting director at Baník, and I am glad I had the chance to experience it. But I quickly realised how demanding that job really is.

To put it simply, as a player you come in for two hours of training, two hours for a match, give it everything, and then you still have twenty hours of free time. In this role, it was exactly the opposite. If I had wanted to become truly successful and respected in that position, I would have had to dedicate far more of my time to it. At that point in my life, I was not ready for that, which is why I stepped away from the role and stayed involved more on the management side.

Today, I do different things that are not as time-consuming, but they enrich me in completely different ways. Everything follows its own path.

So today, are you involved in business?

I would not call myself a businessman in the traditional sense of the word. I have connected sport with wine and fashion, and all of it is tied to me, to Italy, where I lived, and to things that genuinely make sense to me. People who know me understand that I would never do something that does not feel logical or authentic to me.

I am approaching fifty, and a person always needs new challenges. Throughout my life, I had challenges in sport, where I proved something to myself, and now I have it here. I have my wines, I have my perfume, and I want to succeed in those areas as well. The difference is that I know it takes time. Today’s world moves incredibly fast and everyone wants everything immediately, but that is not my way.

Why did you choose the world of wine in particular?

I do not drink beer or spirits, so wine felt like a natural path for me, and once again my life in Italy fits beautifully into that story. That is also why I was happy to accept the opportunity to become part of the Wine of the Champions project – wines created by champions. Today, the project includes around fifteen to twenty footballers from different parts of the world. Each of us has our own wine and our own grape variety. I chose mine according to what I genuinely liked, of course with guidance from experts as well.

What makes the story even more special is that we continue meeting up even after our careers. We visit vineyards together or take part in professional exhibitions. Among the most important are ProWein in Düsseldorf, Vinitaly in Verona, and in recent years also the exhibition in Paris. We spend entire days there presenting the wines, and I truly enjoy it.

I am also pleased that today I cooperate with L‘Osteria across the Czech Republic. Most importantly, though, I am proud that the label is not just about the names Marek Jankulovski, Ronaldinho or Roberto Carlos – the wine itself genuinely has quality.

When I commit to something, I do it properly. That is also why I want to complete a sommelier course.

What convinced you to launch your own perfume as well?

My first reaction, when the manufacturer approached me, was honestly sceptical: who is going to buy a perfume by Marek Jankulovski? I am not an influencer, and my playing career is already behind me. But in the end, we spent about a year discussing it and refining what it could look like.

How is a perfume like that created? Did you influence its composition?

I brought in two fragrances that were close to me personally. Professional perfumers then developed them further, and we refined everything over several stages. After a year, the MJ perfume was created – fresh, summery and pleasant. Today, people buy it and appreciate it. That kind of feedback is what truly matters.

How has the transition from elite sport influenced your approach to business?

In sport, everything was decided in seconds. The right timing, the right place, the decisive moment. In business, that completely changes. Time still matters, but in a very different way. What matters here is patience, gradually building trust, and being able to accept rejection without panicking.

I might approach a potential client and they tell me they are not interested in taking the wine at the moment. That is perfectly fine. A year later, the situation may be completely different. That kind of mindset did not really exist in sport, where decisions were immediate. For me, that has probably been the biggest shift in the way I think.

Do you see parallels between your career and the stories of today’s entrepreneurs?

Very much so. I know successful entrepreneurs who work nonstop from Monday to Sunday. I understand them, because when you want to succeed, you give it everything, and free time, family and holidays often end up pushed aside. But there is always a trade-off.

For example, I could mention the owner of Baník. He is a successful businessman, but I can see how much energy it costs him. At the same time, he simply does not know how to rest. The fact that Baník may not be doing well at the moment is just part of life – in a month or two, everything can look completely different. But I can see the exhaustion, and I think to myself that it is probably not entirely healthy.

You can be a successful entrepreneur or win the Champions League, but you only get one body. These people work from Monday to Sunday and then start all over again on Monday. That is also why they are successful. And those are exactly the things happening in the background that other people never see. From the outside, all people notice is the nice car and the big house.

What do you think about the New Bazaly project?

I am incredibly excited about it. I grew up around Bazaly, and I still vividly remember taking public transport to the Kamenec stop near the Bazaly stadium, walking up the steps and starting training. I know exactly what that place means to Ostrava and to the fans.

Today, I go there for work two or three times a week, and every single time I arrive, I get goosebumps and imagine what the new stadium will look like. When I saw the winning design, I was genuinely delighted.

I believe that in five or six years’ time, we will be going to a brand-new stadium. And once it is built, I will be the first person to organise a legends match there.

Ostrava has a unique ability to fill arenas and create an atmosphere that is not taken for granted elsewhere. Why do you think that is?

Ostrava is simply different, and people here stand together. Whenever there is a major event, whether it is the Ice Hockey World Championship, beach volleyball or the Golden Spike meeting, everything is packed. People do not want to miss the chance to see famous athletes in action. They do not focus so much on ticket prices either – for them, the atmosphere and showing support matter more.

Fans in Ostrava are exceptional. I honestly do not think there are any others like them in the country. And the proof? Milan Baroš is having his farewell match in September, and it sold out in eight hours. I called him the next day to ask whether there might still be tickets available, and he told me there were none left. If the stadium had a capacity of fifty thousand people, fifty thousand would have come.

What would you say to people who live and do business here?

First and foremost, believe in yourselves. Have confidence, but also surround yourselves with good people and, of course, a little bit of luck. When all of those things come together, a person can become successful.

In Ostrava, we have many successful people across sport, business and culture.

Read the full interview at positiv.cz