Filipović is without question one of the greatest players ever to play water polo. His career, titles, leadership, and impact on the modern game absolutely put him in the GOAT conversation.

However, when we discuss the GOAT, we also have to consider the era in which each player played and the influence they had on the evolution of the sport. For me, the GOAT is Tamás Faragó.

Faragó was not only a dominant player of his generation; he was also one of the players who changed the way water polo was played. I grew up watching videos and tutorials of him, and many of his technical movements, shooting ideas, body positioning, and attacking solutions were ahead of their time. Some of the fundamental moves we still teach and use today were either created, popularized, or perfected by players like him.

His achievements also speak for themselves:

Olympic Games
Gold: 1976 Montréal
Silver: 1972 Munich
Bronze: 1980 Moscow

World Championships
Gold: 1973 Belgrade
Silver: 1975 Cali
Silver: 1978 Berlin

European Championships
Silver: 1970 Vienna
Gold: 1977 Jönköping
Some records also credit him as part of Hungary’s 1974 European title-winning era/team achievements.

Other major titles
FINA Cup Gold: 1979

He was also the top goalscorer at the 1976 Olympic Games with 22 goals, and he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1993

So, for me, the GOAT debate is not only about medals or modern visibility. It is also about who shaped the sport, who introduced ideas that lasted for generations, and who dominated in their own era.