Croatia (CRO)
Croatia secured their spot at their 15th EHF EURO with a silver medal from the 2020 edition, losing to Spain 20:22 in the finals. They have been part of EHF EURO story since 1994 and they are coming to Szeged with new coach Hrvoje Horvat, who has served as an assistant coach to Lino Cervar since 2017.
The team will have a hard task to repeat the success of 2020, when they added a third silver to their collection alongside three bronze medals. The EHF EURO crown continues to be a dream, and is the only gold missing in a rich trophy collection.
While their group opponents, France, Serbia and Ukraine, were going through qualification, Croatia played six matches in the EHF EURO Cup. They finished second with EHF EURO 2022 co-hosts Hungary first, leaving defending champions Spain and the other co-host, Slovakia behind.
After failing to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, coach Horvat introduced new and young players into the team, giving them more time on the court. With many experienced players and the backbone of the team, Domagoj Duvnjak, combining with young stalwarts like Ivan Martinovic, Croatia will try to present a new style and the future of the team while aiming for the top step of the podium.
Their powerful attack and sturdy defence with the emphasis on 5-1, will characterise the Croatian play as they look for another solid performance. Having finished fifth or better in the last nine EHF EUROs, there is a lot to live up to.
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EHF competition history
EURO CUP
2022 - 2nd place
ECh Beach Handball
2021 - 2nd place
European Championship
2020 - 2nd place
ECh Beach Handball
2017 - 3rd place
European Championship
2016 - 3rd place
ECh Beach Handball
2015 - Champion
ECh Beach Handball
2013 - Champion
European Championship
2012 - 3rd place
ECh Beach Handball
2011 - Champion
European Championship
2010 - 2nd place
ECh Beach Handball
2009 - Champion
European Championship
2008 - 2nd place
ECh Beach Handball
2007 - 2nd place
World Championship
2005 - 2nd place
Olympic Games
2004 - Champion
World Championship
2003 - Champion
Olympic Games
1996 - Champion
World Championship
1995 - 2nd place
European Championship
1994 - 3rd place
Key Players
Right wing
With 159 matches and 585 goals scored for Croatia ahead of EHF EURO 2022, Ivan Cupic is a crucial player in the Croatian team – despite losing a finger in an accident in 2008. He last played a European championship in 2018, and missed both the IHF Men’s World Championship 2019 and EHF EURO 2020 before reappearing in the squad for the World Championship 2021. Cupic was the second-best scorer of the London 2012 Olympic Games handball tournament, and is still the only player ever to win the VELUX EHF FINAL4 two years in a row: first with Kielce in 2016, then with Vardar in 2017.
Right back
Ivan Martinovic made his debut for the Croatian national team in qualification for the EHF EURO 2020, and is fast-becoming a star for the squad. Martinovic was born in Vienna, and started playing handball at Fivers. He currently plays club hanball for TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, but will join MT Melsungen later in 2022. Martinovic’s role models are Ivano Balic and team captain Domagoj Duvnjak, and his brother Marin and sister Kristina are also handball players playing for Austria.
Head Coach
Coach
Hrvoje Horvat took over the Croatian national team in February 2021, having previously acted as assistant coach to Lino Cervar for three years. Horvat used to coach Dubrava and Nexe, but has quit Nexe to focus mainly on the national team. The former successful beach handball player, with seven medals from major competitions, including world championship gold, cut his playing career short to focus on coaching. Horvat is the son of legendary Croatian playmaker Hrvoje Horvat Cveba.