Austria (AUT)

Austria are one of just three teams – alongside France and Portugal – who came through the Men’s EHF EURO 2024 Qualifiers with a perfect record of six wins from six matches. Head coach Ales Pajovic's team will need to be at their very best again for the final tournament in Germany, where they face the likes of two-time champions Spain and three-time runners-up Croatia in the preliminary round. Their tough group is completed by Romania, an opponent Austria have already met – and beaten – twice in the qualifiers.

The 2024 edition marks Austria’s fourth straight appearance at the EHF EURO. Their debut came when they hosted the event in 2010 – but since then, Austria have failed to qualify only two times. Their fortunes at final tournaments have been varying: three times, Austria made it to the main round; in 2022, however, they suffered three straight defeats in the preliminary round and finished in 20th position – their worst result at a European Championship. The same year, they faltered in qualification for the 2023 IHF World Championship.

Still, a closer look at Austria’s squad gives them every reason to be hopeful for EHF EURO 2024. At age 27, team captain Nikola Bilyk, an EHF Champions League winner with THW Kiel, has arrived in the prime of his career; and the same goes for 28-year-old left wing Sebastian Frimmel, a key asset for OTP Bank - PICK Szeged who has grown into a more important role in the national team, too. Also, a new generation of talented players has become an integral part of coach Pajovic’s team – most notably 23-year-old Lukas Hutecek, who can play left or centre back and who became Austria’s top scorer at the 2021 IHF World Championship only one year after his debut in the national team.