Men's EHF EURO 2026 post-match flash quotes: 16 January
HERNING/OSLO/KRISTIANSTAD – Comments from players and coaches after Men's EHF EURO 2026 round 1 matches in groups B, D and F on 16 January.
HUNGARY VS POLAND 29:21 (14:10)
José Rodríguez (ESP) – Hungary head coach
On the defence:
“I am really happy. I always say that the first match is always the most important in any tournament. Poland are a strong team and have one of the best coaches in the world. We started full of power, and we knew that we need to win the match in defence. Kristóf [Palasics] played amazing in the goal, and we defended really hard. We conceded only 21 goals, which is really amazing. Therefore, we are happy on the win, the team and everything.”
On goalkeeper Kristóf Palasics:
“He has been an amazing goalkeeper in the last years. I always believe in all of my players, today was the day of Kristóf.”
Kristóf Palasics (HUN) – goalkeeper
On his performance:
"I'm really happy with the performance that I put on the court and to help the team like this, both for this a goalkeeper needs a great defence and I think the guys in front of me did a fantastic job and it's a pleasure to be behind them. It was all really a good working machine, both the defence and goalkeeper, and that was the base for our win."
On the strong defence:
"I think a lot depends on personal relations, as with Adrián Sipos I played together in Germany and with Patrik Ligetvári I played in One Veszprém HC and they're the main guys in the middle. It's really important to know what I expect from them and what they expect from me, and if I see something from the back, I told them and they tell me. It's really important to have an open communication about everything, it helps them, it helps me and it brings a whole defence together. Everything needs to work good and it's based on personal relations."
Gergő Fazekas (HUN) – centre back
On the match:
“Our defence was amazing, and behind our defence our goalkeeper [Kristóf Palasics] was saving a lot. This is one thing that I think was top in this match.
“Our attack was also good, but we have some things to improve. One thing that I am not satisfied (with) is the fast break, we couldn’t score so many goals. In this we must improve for sure.
“At the end the most important is the victory and we did it.”
On playing a defensively tough game:
“It’s hard, it’s not fun. Both teams have a Spanish coach, tactically they are amazing, our coach prepared very good for this match. It was a big fight, in defence, in attack, in everything, and the coaches, mentally. It was a good game.”
Jesús González (ESP) – Poland head coach
On the defeat:
“Our main problem was that we missed too many easy shots and we missed all penalties, this is incredible. At the beginning, they played well with their line player, but we could solve this problem. In attack, we needed to play seven-against-six, but when you miss easy shots, they can score into the empty goal. Hungary had deserved to win this match.”
On the positive things he takes from the match:
“We have to improve our defence, but the most important thing is that we have to score easy goals. After the red card we played really well in defence.”
Miłosz Wałach (POL) – goalkeeper
On the defeat:
“We prepared our seven-against-six attack and Hungary was ready for this. We played well in defence, 28 goals are not much, when you saw that we got some empty net goals. Our problem was the attack, and of course the very good match of Kristóf Palasics.”
On his performance:
“The percentage of saves looks not that much, but I think it was a good match for me. It was not an easy match for a goalkeeper, as I ran a lot, more than ever before. I am really happy with my debut at the EHF EURO, so I am happy, but only with this.”
Michał Olejniczak (POL) – centre back
On the problems in attack:
“Our problem was the shooting efficiency, as the Hungarian goalkeeper was brilliant today. Hungary took a deserved win. We need to analyse the match and have to keep our heads up for the next matches.”
On what needs to improve:
“Our defence was not that bad, but we should play longer in the position attack and do not miss our chances. We saw today, how hard it is for the team, when you miss so many chances, as then it is a really tough task, if you want to win.”
FAROE ISLANDS vs SWITZERLAND 28:28 (15:13)
Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen (DEN) – Faroe Islands head coach
On the draw:
“We have to congratulate Switzerland for a great game, which was played on a very high level. We saw the best of both teams. We were ahead, in a position where we thought we could be winning but Nikola Portner came back strongly and made some big saves.
“They are a tough team, and suddenly we were about to lose. But we were strong enough to make the equaliser, it’s a big point for us that we got tonight.”
On the mental strength the Faroe Islands needed to remain in the game:
“We saw a very tough team on our side. We had everything in our hands, then we lost the control of the game but we came back, we never stopped fighting. We had a good spirit. We never gave up and I am very proud of that.
“We showed so many great things. Of course, we were not as good in some situations. But that’s the way it is when some players are not used to the highest level. I am very happy with the performance and the resistance we showed throughout the game.”
Elias á Skipagøtu (FAR) – centre back
On the last 20 seconds of the game:
“I think that the attack before their timeout, we should have had a penalty. I have to see the images again, but that’s how I feel anyway. After that, they had the ball but nothing is ever finished in handball. We have been through that in the past already. I am happy with the mentality we showed, which allowed us to score one last goal in the end.”
On the support the Faroe Islands got from their fans:
“It’s amazing, we have the best fans in the world, I don’t know which part of the country is here, 20 per cent or something. They gave us an incredible support and we are very happy to have them with us. Thanks a lot to them for coming over. It’s a little bit easier to fight the whole when you have so many people pushing you.”
Vilhelm Poulsen (FAR) – right back
On whether the draw is a reason for celebrating:
“When we're behind with one goal and get the equal in the last second, then that's a good draw.”
On scoring the equalising goal:
“I didn't think so much about it, but it feels amazing.”
On the game in general:
“When I look back in the first 40 minutes, I felt like we had the control over the game. But then they had some saves and we made some errors, and then they came back and were in front, but in the end, we get the draw. That was good.”
On the supporters:
“Everybody's going to say the same, but it feels amazing to get so much support from our fans — that they travel all the way and are here for us.”
Andy Schmid (SUI) – Switzerland head coach
On getting a draw:
“It’s hard to tell if I am satisfied or not. When you take the goal from your opponent with just a few seconds to play, of course you are disappointed. But we were six goals behind after 35 minutes and maybe, looking at things like that, we are happy with the point. The feelings are mixed, but we take that point and we keep going.”
On what Switzerland did to come back from their six-goal deficit:
“We tried to play straight again, to keep it simple. I told the guys not to look for difficult things. We changed a little bit our offensive formations. The defence became stronger as well, more compact. That gave us the chance to go back.”
Nikola Portner (SUI) – goalkeeper
On the draw:
“The game was as expected, really tough, not only the Faroe Islands on the court, but the spectators were not cheering for us either. They played fantastically but the heart that we showed to turn the six-goals deficit around is incredible. I am proud of the team, we showed a lot of character. I am happy. I might be sad we did not win, but with the difficulties we’ve had tonight, we can’t be unsatisfied.
“It was insane. It was crazy. Really emotional. We start quite even, like it's quite an equal game, but we're still having really, really difficulties against their seven-against-six. I think that if we look at the first 40 minutes, I think they are clearly the dominant team, but then we showed why, in my opinion, we have an amazing group of guys who believe in the fact that they can win every game. I'm really proud what we managed to turn around, in my opinion also, in the last like 15, 20 minutes.
“The last couple of minutes, it was like a goal, a goal, a goal, and I think the result is unfortunately fair for both teams. I think that both teams are thinking the same, you know — we should have won, but we could have lost also. So, we are not satisfied with that. I mean, not the result itself, but the way we played in the first 40 minutes and, like, we put ourselves really in a bad situation, in a bad position, even though we managed to turn it around. But those are things that in my opinion on that level are like, we shouldn't allow ourselves for those kinds of things to happen, so hopefully we can improve that on Sunday.”
On how Switzerland managed to change the course of the game:
“With belief, it’s as simple as that. We had a plan and we tried to stick to it. We found some resources to play better defensively, I had a couple of saves as well, that might have helped. We were just patient and tried to stick to the plan that we had before the game.”
On the comeback in the second half:
“We just kept believing. We just really played quite good. It means no technical mistakes. When we were playing offensively, we forced them, I think, to get like three, four technical mistakes. I got a couple of saves too, and in the positions which we were actually planning to do from the beginning. I think also that the tiredness of the guys that played a huge role, in my opinion. And of course, I mean, maybe the fact that when you're leading with six goals, you start to play a bit, you know, a bit more…I'm not going to say confident, but you start to breathe. But we took that to our advantage, in my opinion, and we turn it around and I'm really, really, really proud and happy.”
DENMARK VS NORTH MACEDONIA 36:24 (17:12)
Magnus Saugstrup (DEN) – line player
On the successful start:
“It was a typical first match of a tournament: we were nervous and made a few too many mistakes. But for us it was important to start with a win. We always enjoy playing here in front of our fans.”
On the pressure of being favourites:
“We’ve heard a few times now that we are the clear favourites. But we don’t think about what the media say – we focus only on ourselves and on playing good handball. That’s why our focus is solely on us.”
On their next opponents, Romania:
“I haven’t seen that much of Romania yet; we will analyse them in detail starting tomorrow. In Bucharest there are a few national team players, and we played against them with Magdeburg.”
On the atmosphere in Herning:
“Playing here gives us the best feeling in the world.”
Filip Kuzmanovski (MKD) – centre back
On facing the favourites in the opener:
“For me, Denmark are the absolute favourites to win the title. We made a lot of technical mistakes early on, and against Denmark’s fast-paced game – especially with Mathias Gidsel - and with 15,000 Danish fans behind them – it’s very hard to make up for that. Denmark are history now, and our full focus is on Portugal and Romania.”
On the positive things they take from the match:
“There are many positive aspects, for example the way we fought until the very end and tracked back. However, we need to move more in attack; it was too static against Denmark.”
On their next opponent Portugal:
“Portugal play in a similar way to Denmark – they run just as much and just as fast. However, in preparation we have looked closely at both Portugal and Romania. Against Portugal, we will need to fight even harder.“
PORTUGAL vs ROMANIA 40:34 (23:15)
Paulo Pereira (POR) – Portugal head coach
On the match:
“It’s true that we used this game to be better prepared in the next ones. We run a lot, our rhythm is not this one, we manage the rhythm of the game normally but today it was mandatory that we run all possessions.
“OK, more mistakes, more attacks, more possessions for both sides, more risk.
“I’m very proud because these players are very clever. Sometimes they need me a little bit but normally they do the things that we have planned before.”
On their aims for the tournament:
“These small goals that we have in preparation; we have data, so we can talk with the player and say ‘look, you have these numbers’, we make negotiation which efficacy you can give to the team in the next game. So we have some numbers and we put short-term objectives.
“But our main goal is really to do our best result. It was in 2020, so it will be very difficult, very hard, because Denmark is Denmark and there’s a lot of teams here that we must really do everything correctly to reach this top five. But we don’t hide this goal, we want to do it.
“We will give the maximum to reach this goal.”
Martim Costa (POR) – centre back
On the match:
“We entered really good in the game, we get a really good advantage in the first half. Some mistakes are normal in the first game of the EUROs, normally we do more mistakes than we usually do.
“The first game is really important to get confidence, really important for us.”
On the next match against North Macedonia:
“Both teams have a lot of really good players, a lot of them play (EHF) Champions League, so it all depends on how you enter in the game and how you play it. I think we are favourites, but we’ve got to enter in the field and if we do like today, I think we can beat Macedonia.”
On surpassing his father’s EHF EURO goal record:
“He put an Insta story some weeks ago for me not to pass him, but unfortunately I pass him in goals. Really happy with the win, the goals don’t matter.”
Salvador Salvador (POR) – left back
On their expectations before the tournament:
“It was the best way to start a big tournament. It’s not hard to start like this, to change the mentality. We did our job, the first half was better than the second. We enter not so good but after we make good things on our defence, we start to run a little bit to do the fast break and we score.
“After that we put the game by seven eight (goals) and the second half it was a little bit different. We make more mistakes, we don’t catch some rebounds, we make many turnovers.
“We need to change our mentality to enter on a big tournament like this, now we continue to improve for the next game.”
On looking ahead:
“It’s not easy to play against Denmark in Denmark, but we have our objectives, we will try to do our best. We will try to do the best classification ever in Portugal, like we did last year in the World Cup, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
George Buricea (ROU) – Romania head coach
On the match:
“We play some moments good, but we don’t have consistency. We play 10 minutes at the same level as Portugal. We go down, three minutes, with very easy technical misses.
“In these moments one team like Portugal, fourth in the world, it’s easy to put very easy goals.
“They go very fast and after we run all the game to catch them.
“We must improve, because also in our friendly game before this European championship we do these technical misses, one pass, one pass from interception, and this is easy goal. We must put these technical mistakes out, and in this moment Romania will be sure one very good team.”
On their next match, against Denmark:
“The Danish is in my opinion the best team in the world. We try to play our best handball, to be one good spectacle for the spectators.
“We want to enjoy the atmosphere and play the best handball, because this will not happen all the time in your life.”
Daniel Stanciuc (ROU) – centre back
On the match:
“We played against an amazing team. We made ourselves the game complicated, because it’s hard and almost impossible to run against with a score with a team like Portugal.
“We made too many mistakes in the first half, after we had really good moments in the second half, but it wasn’t enough.”
On the match against Denmark:
“For us it’s our second European championship after 28 years, so we’re here to enjoy and to give our best. Playing here in Denmark with a full hall, it’s a dream. It’s a dream to play against the best players in the world, and enjoy.”
ICELAND vs ITALY 39:26 (21:12)
Snorri Steinn Guðjónsson (ISL) – Iceland head coach
On the biggest Men’s EHF EURO win for Iceland in history:
“I didn’t know it was the biggest, but I’m just really happy. Like always I was a little bit nervous for the game, the first game in a big tournament is always a lot of emotions and a lot of expectance from our side, you don’t really know exactly where you stand.
“So I’m just happy and I’m proud of the team, they were really focused and did a really good job.”
On what they changed after Italy’s strong start:
“We didn’t change really anything. We had our strategy, we were a little bit slow in the beginning, but we were missing also some chances. Then we just got it going, Viktor (Hallgrímsson) had some saves and we got some easy goals from fast breaks, and then one thing led to another and we just played a really good first half. It was really good to have these eight, nine goals in half-time so we could also change a little bit and get all the players into the tournament.”
Viktor Hallgrímsson (ISL) – goalkeeper
On the match:
“It was a good game, a hard game. They play a different style of handball, they play really fast and every goal we scored they came running back and tried to get a quick goal. So it was quite tough.
“We prepared well and executed our game plan really well, got some easy goals and won the game like that.”
On his three penalty saves:
“The game overall from my side was quite disappointing. They were shooting close as they do all the time, so it was quite hard for goalkeepers, with their lob shots and then either a goal or a free throw, so it’s hard to get some saves counted.
“But on the penalty it was good today, it felt good on the penalty line but not anything else.”
Óðinn Ríkharðsson (ISL) – right wing
On the match:
“It was a really professional win from us. We prepared good and it took us 15, 20 minutes — the game was equal for 15, 20 minutes — but I think we then just found the solutions we needed.
“Viktor (Hallgrímsson) was saving a lot of goals also, so we could run a little bit.”
Bob Hanning (GER) – Italy head coach
On the match:
“The game didn’t end at 15 minutes, we have to play 60.
“First of all Iceland was a great team, play very well all through 60 minutes, they never stopped. It was very impressive to see what they can do. In all situations we make too many technical faults; also in the first half at the end we have 15 faults and we don’t stop the attack from Iceland. They always push us inside, make one cross more, and if you’re not able to stop the situations it’s not that easy because they are very fast, play many years together and they know what they have to do.
“Then we had a situation where also (Thomas) Bortoli has to go out, and Pablo (Juan Pablo Cuello) is not with us, so in the end I have two pivots and two left wings on the bench, and it’s also not too easy.
“We played 6-0 in the second half a little bit more compact. We trust more and we not only go for our own player, that was a little bit better, but also the fast breaks. The Iceland team do it totally quick, and we have one or two passes more, and this is the difference between a top team in Europe and at this moment our Italian team.
“We are too near to the defence, and they always block us and make always forward, so we have to see what we can do better for this.”
On the positives:
“Leo Prantner plays his first game since four and a half months. He was fully in concentration and do it very well.
“Christian Manojlovic do a good job, and also Pau Panitti comes first time for the team, after I put Domenico (Ebner) out, so there were some good situations. But the result’s the result, and there are more mistakes than good things on the field.”
Davide Bulzamini (ITA) – left back
On the match:
“We started very good, bring what we prepared, and then we just started making things far from what was our plan. And then against a team like Iceland we cannot do this, we have to stay on a good level for all the game and we did it only some minutes and then we stopped.
“It’s not enough against a team like this. So now we have to see what we did good, what we didn’t do very good, stay positive and prepare the game on Sunday.”
On making his EHF EURO debut:
“It was very emotional, and a childhood dream about this. We tried to make everyone proud, trying to show what makes this team special. It was a very special moment.”
Simone Mengon (ITA) – left back
On the defeat:
“It’s difficult to say that we really played a good start and then after maybe we were a little bit tired, and we give them the match.
“They are too good team, a too good level to stay in the match. If there’s a moment we are a little bit more intelligent we can maybe slow the play and stay in the game.”
On their defence:
“We see that in the preparation game too we have some really good phases, but it’s really hard to play this defence, very expensive. After we do some too easy mistakes, so we take easy goals, and that’s difficult against such a team.”
SLOVENIA vs MONTENEGRO 41:40 (19:18)
Jože Baznik (SLO) – goalkeeper
On the match:
“First of all we won the game, that’s the most important. I think we showed character, especially in the second half where we were losing. They were finding the easy solutions in attack, also in defence they played really good.
“They were really a hard opponent, and I think we showed character to fight them off, to play the last 10-15 minutes our game. We won the game, which is the most important for the first game.”
On advice to his younger teammates:
“We tried just to tell them that they have to enjoy the game, because you never know when it’s your last game like this. So you have to enjoy every moment, you give everything, and then in the end we will see what we have to improve or not. But the most important is to come here, to enjoy, to give your 100 per cent and then we will try to see the mistakes and improve.”
Domen Makuc (SLO) — centre back
On how he would summarise the match against Montenegro:
“Marathon, let's say, in one word. 41 goals, so it was a really hard one. We run a lot, also they run a lot, but I think this is our style. We need to try to score as many easy goals as possible. At the end, we received 40 goals. As it's from outside, I think defence was not so bad in some moments.
“We just need to take positive things from this match. We are for sure happy for this win and I hope this is the first of many.”
On the mental impact of winning the first match:
“Always, the first match, it's not easy because you don't know what to expect. In the end, there were so many goals. For sure, we were not expecting that. I think we were focused all match. More or less organised in attack, what is important. And I think we also need to improve our mistakes, turnovers. If we do this, I think we can be a danger.”
On playing his first major championship match with his brother:
“For sure, it’s something special. In between the match there’s not so much time to think about it. But what can I say? I'm happy that that moment came. When we were younger, we were dreaming about it. It never happened, or when we were younger, it happened in our down [Younger Age Category] team, but I was not expecting that the first senior match will happen in the national team. We are really proud of him and happy. It would be nice to do something good and nice things with him.”
Didier Dinart (FRA) – Montenegro head coach
On the match:
“I think we did a good match, regardless. The first match is always a bit different. Today we scored 40 goals, them too, but now we must refocus on the competition.”
On what he told his players at half-time:
“I told them what we wanted to change. It was a very dynamic game today; we were able to play lots of transitions, their goalkeepers didn’t play a big role —our goalkeepers didn’t make many stops either. We tried to run as much as possible, and it was very positive.”
Milos Vujović (MNE) – left wing
On the match:
“Right now it’s really hard for us. Our emotions are indescribable now. We expected that we can win this match, but you see the result. It’s only one goal scored for an important game, so it’s really painful because we tried 60 minutes to make it, to win this game, but in the end they took a really big luck. The goal from 11 metres, the last shot they scored, it was really lucky.
“We came here to play, to give our best, and we will not stop from this. This will make us stronger.”
Branko Vujović (MNE) — right back
On the match against Slovenia:
“I think it was really, really interesting for the spectators. So many goals, so many run, fight, everything.
“We are two different teams. They are small and fast. We are a little bit bigger and stronger. It was like 81 goals at the end. Today, it was Slovenia. Maybe next game will be us, so we have to keep fighting.”
On it being the record high-scoring EURO match:
“I'm happy with this. It's good to be first with something.”
On the close result and how that positions them for the rest of the round:
“Both teams know each other. All the players know each other, so I think that's why it's always a tough game with Slovenia. We have two more games. We need to fight and try to go to the next round.”
Photo © Kolektiff Images
