Young Hungary to tackle new challenges

Main facts

• Hungary are one of four teams that have always qualified for the EHF EURO, winning four medals –  gold in 2000 and bronze in 1998, 2004 and 2012
• since 2012, though, they finished 6th, 12th, 7th and 10th, constantly trying to find their rhythm and changing plenty of players in the process
• over the past six years, there have been five coaching changes, with Vladimir Golovin, who had plenty of success in the younger age categories, replacing Gábor Elek in 2021
• Hungary look set to rely on right back Katrin Klujber, one of the most consistent scorers in the EHF Champions League Women in recent seasons
• they will look to translate their unprecedented success in the youth and junior categories to the senior level

Three questions ahead of the Women’s EHF EURO 2022

- Will the success in younger age categories finally translate to the senior side?

Hungary’s junior team won the World Championship in 2018 and finished second in 2022. They also posted back-to-back wins at the W19 EHF EURO in 2019 and 2021. The youth team has not lost a game at the W17 EHF EURO for five years, winning gold in 2019 and 2021. But Hungary’s senior team has finished sixth at the EHF EURO 2014, 12th in 2016, seventh in 2018 and 10th in 2020.

Something is happening during the transition from the youth and junior teams to the big league and nobody seems to pinpoint the exact cause or what happens during this process. After the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Gábor Elek was replaced by Vladimir Golovin on Hungary’s bench, as the coach who won gold at the 2018 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship and the W19 EHF EURO 2019 got the keys to the senior team.

The first tournament for Golovin, the 2021 World Championship, ended on the 10th place, the best result in the competition since 2013. Now, the stakes are high and the second year of his stint must bring another improvement, with a hungry team, ready to fight for a medal.

- But going all-in on a young team is the right way to go?

The team that was called up for the friendly matches against Slovenia, where Hungary drew one game and lost the other, had an average age of 25.5 years old, with only four players over 30 years old and nine of them under 23. Sure, the plan is to get as competitive as possible in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Hungary aim to qualify, but growing pains will surely affect a side which is still searching for a leader.

Many of these players have already featured in the EHF Champions League or the EHF European League, therefore it is not a question of experience, rather than the chemistry of the squad. But with only two players featuring outside of Hungary at club level – goalkeeper Melinda Szikora at SG BBM Bietigheim and left back Noémi Háfrá at Odense Håndbold – the players should not have issues, especially as plenty of them have already played together at one level or another.

- Who is going to step up and assume responsibility?

Between 2002 and 2017, the answer was simple: Anita Görbicz was not the most decorated player – not winning the EHF EURO or an Olympic medal – but she was the go-to player whenever Hungary needed a good game or a wake-up call. But since the player with the largest number of goals scored in history for the team – 1,111 – retired in 2017, there has been a struggle to find a true leader for Hungary.

Plenty of players tried to assume the role, but filling Görbicz’s shoes is difficult. This is partly why Hungary struggled over the last few years to produce the same results they did in the past, constantly bringing teams with huge potential in the tournament, only to fall short of the requirements.

It is true that Hungary’s team spirit has been strong and they have constantly found solutions on all positions on the court. But until they will not find a leader, it will be truly difficult to get back between the best. The search is still on, though.

Under the spotlight: Katrin Klujber

Only two players have scored more goals than the 23-year-old right back after five rounds in the EHF Champions League Women, with Klujber adding 39 goals to her already impressive tally for FTC Rail-Cargo Hungaria. In fact, the right back has already passed the 300-goal mark in only five seasons in the European top competition, becoming one of the most consistent right backs in European handball over the past years.

Despite only recently celebrating 50 caps for the Hungary senior women’s handball team, Klujber has already a superb average of over six goals per game, the second best in the history of the team for players who scored at least 100 goals, after Bojana Radulovic’s 6.71 goals per game.

There is not a lot of time until Klujber breaks into the top 10 of the all-time scorers’ list for Hungary and as a player who shoots penalties, she will be crucial once again at the EHF EURO, only the second edition she plays in her career. The pressure will be high, but Klujber has proven her credentials, boasting plenty of games in which she scored in double digits for club side FTC in the EHF Champions League.

Did you know?

Hungary are one of just four teams – alongside Norway, Denmark, and Germany – to have featured in all EHF EURO editions so far.

What the numbers say?

50 – the number of wins Hungary have at the EHF EURO, the third team in history, after Norway and Denmark, to reach this milestone.

The heart of the team: Melinda Szikora

Aged 33, Szikora is playing the best handball of her career, being a key part of SG BBM Bietigheim’s superb ascension in the EHF Champions League Women. She has constantly been one of the top goalkeepers in the competition this season and is always doing everything possible between the goalposts to try and help her side.

Injuries have taken a toll on her national team career – she played only 33 games so far – and has been a part of Hungary’s side only twice at the EHF EURO. But if Hungary are to be successful this time around, Szikora will be at the heart of it.

Past achievements

EHF EURO participations (including 2022): 15
Winners (1): 2000
Bronze medal (3): 1998, 2004, 2012

Hungary play against Norway, Croatia, and Switzerland in preliminary round group A in Ljubljana. Tickets are available HERE.