Croatia (CRO)
Croatia enter their 17th EHF EURO in a row riding the momentum of a commanding campaign in qualification group 5. They trumped Czechia, Belgium and Luxembourg, securing first place with ease. They arrive in Malmö as the 2025 IHF World Championship runners-up and ambitions are high once again.
European gold remains the only missing piece in Croatia's stacked trophy cabinet. After three bronze and three silver medals, the eternal dream is still there and this new generation is eager to turn the tide and finally close the circle.
With Icelandic coach Dagur Sigurdsson taking over from Goran Perkovac, who led Croatia to a historically low 11th place at EHF EURO 2024, the team embraced a refreshed approach. And if anyone knows how to climb all the way to the throne at the European championship, it is Sigurdsson, as he already conquered it in 2016 with Germany in Poland. And bouncing back with a World Championship medal injected the impetus Croatia needed.
However, this championship marks Sigurdsson's first EHF EURO with Croatia, and the first major tournament without Domagoj Duvnjak, Igor Karačić, and Ivan Pešić. Their vast experience cannot be replicated, but their retirement opened the door for a full takeover by the new core. Ivan Martinovic now wears the captain's armband, and the new kids on the block, who already shone at the World Championship, are stepping into the spotlight.
Dreaming of climbing back to the top is one thing, but they will have to show what they are mad eof already in the group. Croatia's first challenge is Georgia, then comes the toughest challenge of all, co-hosts Sweden, before the closing battle against the Netherlands.
Competition records:
Number of EHF EURO participations, including 2026: 17
Silver: 2008, 2010, 2020
Bronze: 1994, 2012, 2016
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| # | Player | MP | Goals | Shots | % | 7m | YC | RC | 2 Min | TP |
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| TOTAL | {{totalGoals}} | {{totalShots}} | {{totalShotsEfficiency}} | {{total7mGoals}}/{{total7mShots}} | {{totalWarnings}} | {{totalDisqualifications}} | {{totalTwoMinPenalties}} |
| # | Goalkeeper | MP | Saves | Shots | % | 7m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| TOTAL | {{totalSaves}} | {{totalShotReceives}} | {{totalSaveEfficiency}} | {{total7mSaves}}/{{total7mShotsReceives}} |
30
20
22
34
36
20
29
35
25
35
30
23
EHF Competition History
Germany
24
Croatia
30
Croatia
30
Iceland
35
Hungary
29
Croatia
26
France
34
Croatia
32
Croatia
31
Romania
25
Croatia
28
Austria
28
Spain
29
Croatia
39
Croatia
36
Finland
22
Finland
21
Croatia
34
Netherlands
28
Croatia
28
Iceland
22
Croatia
23
Denmark
27
Croatia
25
Montenegro
32
Croatia
26
Ukraine
25
Croatia
38
Croatia
23
Serbia
20
Croatia
22
France
27
Spain
22
Croatia
20
Norway
28
Croatia
29
Croatia
22
Spain
22
Croatia
22
Czech Republic
21
Croatia
25
Germany
24
Croatia
27
Austria
23
Serbia
21
Croatia
24
Croatia
31
Belarus
23
Croatia
27
Montenegro
21
Montenegro
32
Croatia
31
Croatia
32
Montenegro
19
Croatia
28
Czech Republic
27
Croatia
27
France
30
Croatia
32
Norway
28
Croatia
25
Belarus
23
Croatia
31
Sweden
35
Iceland
22
Croatia
29
Croatia
32
Serbia
22
Norway
24
Croatia
31
Spain
33
Croatia
29
Poland
23
Croatia
37
France
32
Croatia
24
Fyr Macedonia
24
Croatia
34
Croatia
37
Iceland
28
Norway
34
Croatia
31
Croatia
27
Belarus
21
Croatia
28
Spain
29
Denmark
29
Croatia
27
Poland
28
Croatia
31
Russia
25
Croatia
33
France
27
Croatia
25
Croatia
25
Sweden
24
Montenegro
22
Croatia
27
Croatia
33
Belarus
22
Croatia
31
Spain
27
Serbia
26
Croatia
22
Hungary
24
Croatia
24
France
22
Croatia
29
Spain
24
Croatia
22
Croatia
26
Norway
20
Slovenia
29
Croatia
31
Croatia
31
Iceland
29
Iceland
33
Croatia
34
Croatia
28
Poland
24
Sweden
29
Croatia
25
Croatia
36
Argentina
18
Croatia
29
Denmark
34
Serbia
24
Croatia
24
Croatia
42
Australia
15
Algeria
15
Croatia
26
Croatia
27
Romania
21
Croatia
21
France
25
Croatia
24
Poland
21
Croatia
27
Denmark
23
Croatia
26
Austria
23
Croatia
26
Iceland
26
Croatia
30
Russia
28
Ukraine
25
Croatia
28
Croatia
25
Norway
23
Greece
24
Croatia
29
Croatia
34
Slovakia
21
Croatia
26
Hungary
25
Finland
14
Croatia
34
Croatia
32
Greece
20
Slovakia
26
Croatia
30
Hungary
30
Croatia
28
Croatia
39
Finland
20
Denmark
24
Croatia
20
Croatia
24
France
23
Croatia
23
Norway
23
Croatia
34
Montenegro
26
Denmark
30
Croatia
20
Croatia
29
Slovenia
24
Czech Republic
26
Croatia
30
Croatia
32
Poland
27
Denmark
32
Croatia
27
France
29
Croatia
23
Serbia Montenegro
30
Croatia
34
Iceland
28
Croatia
29
Denmark
30
Croatia
31
Croatia
29
Russia
30
Norway
28
Croatia
32
Croatia
24
Portugal
21
Spain
40
Croatia
34
Croatia
35
France
32
Croatia
24
Serbia Montenegro
23
Germany
26
Croatia
29
Croatia
25
Norway
28
Croatia
28
Sweden
27
Spain
31
Croatia
33
Croatia
38
Australia
18
Japan
25
Croatia
34
Croatia
36
Argentina
23
Croatia
30
Spain
22
Russia
25
Croatia
26
Croatia
29
Korea
26
Slovenia
26
Croatia
27
Croatia
34
Iceland
30
Croatia
26
Germany
24
Croatia
33
Hungary
31
Croatia
33
Greece
27
Croatia
27
Denmark
31
Croatia
25
Slovenia
27
Russia
24
Croatia
24
Croatia
30
Switzerland
27
Croatia
28
Sweden
26
Portugal
32
Croatia
32
Croatia
26
Denmark
25
Spain
29
Croatia
30
Croatia
34
Germany
31
Spain
37
Croatia
39
Croatia
33
Denmark
27
Croatia
29
Egypt
23
Croatia
30
Hungary
29
Croatia
23
France
22
Russia
26
Croatia
28
Saudi Arabia
18
Croatia
25
Croatia
29
Argentina
30
Sweden
26
Croatia
27
France
20
Croatia
24
Croatia
18
Sweden
27
Croatia
25
Russia
24
Croatia
35
United States
27
Kuwait
22
Croatia
31
Croatia
23
Switzerland
22
France
23
Croatia
19
Croatia
28
Sweden
25
Croatia
30
Egypt
16
Croatia
29
Tunisia
28
Croatia
31
Cuba
27
Croatia
25
Russia
20
Czechia
27
Croatia
25
Morocco
21
Croatia
33
Croatia
26
Slovenia
24
Croatia
24
Denmark
23
Sweden
24
Croatia
21
Belarus
21
Croatia
29
Croatia
24
Rumania
23
Russia
21
Croatia
18
Croatia
24
Germany
22
France
27
Croatia
25
Croatia
27
Belarus
24
Croatia
30
Finland
15
Croatia
26
Iceland
18
Iceland
24
Croatia
22
Belarus
23
Croatia
23
Bulgaria
17
Croatia
27
Croatia
28
Bulgaria
19
Finland
26
Croatia
31
ECh Beach Handball
2025 - 3rd place
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
- Mario Šoštarić
- Mario Šoštarić
- Right Wing
- Right Wing
- [Modules.KeyPlayers.SummaryHeadline_en-US]
-
Mario Šoštarić switched the Slovenian jersey for the Croatian one and made his debut for the new side at the 2023 IHF World Championship. Counting 45 appearances and 176 goals as of December 2025, Šoštarić quickly became an asset for Croatia, and was even part of the All-star Team at the IHF World Championship in 2025, when they claimed the silver medal. The right wing has rich experience playing at the top level, having been a part of OTP Bank - PICK Szeged’s line-up since 2016 and featuring in the EHF Champions League with the side. After making it among the top 10 scorers in 2023/24, he netted 135 goals in the following season of the top flight to become the second top scorer of the competition. Following his international success, Šoštarić was named the right wing of the 2024/25 season at the EHF Excellence Awards.
- Ivan Martinović
- Ivan Martinović
- Right Back
- Right Back
- [Modules.KeyPlayers.SummaryHeadline_en-US]
-
Born in Vienna, Ivan Martinović started playing handball at Austrian side Fivers, but later chose to represent Croatia because of his idol, Domagoj Duvnjak. The 2021 IHF World Championship marked Martinović’s first major tournament with the national team and he has since become a star player in the squad. His continued development and importance stood out during the 2025 IHF World Championship, when Martinović was picked as the All-star right back after netting 41 goals and claiming the silver medal with Croatia. Soon after, Martinović was appointed team captain, taking over the role from Duvnjak. The 27-year-old right back also reached a new high in his club career, having joined One Veszprém HC in the summer of 2025 and making his debut in the EHF Champions League with the side.
Head Coach
- Dagur Sigurdsson
- Dagur Sigurdsson
- [Modules.KeyPlayers.SummaryHeadline_en-US]
-
In February 2024, experienced Icelandic coach Dagur Sigurdsson became the first foreigner at the helm of Croatia’s men's team, and success followed soon after taking over this new role. Sigurdsson steered the team to silver at the 2025 IHF World Championship, their first medal in the competition since 2013. This result extended Sigurdsson’s already long list of achievements, which includes the EHF Cup 2015 title with Füchse Berlin and the EHF EURO 2016 trophy with Germany. Sigurdsson was named IHF World Coach of the Year in 2015 and gained valuable experience leading the national teams of Germany, Japan and Austria. Before starting his coaching career, he played as centre back and had over 200 appearances for Iceland.
