Powerhouses feature in EHF EURO 2024 power rankings

EHF / Adrian Costeiu

05 January 2024, 15:00

The EHF EURO 2024 is just around the corner and the teams are gearing up their preparations. Coaches are dotting the last I’s and crossing the T's before the competition throws off in Dusseldorf with a world record-setting event, as the 24 sides aim to roar on the biggest of stages.

Before the first ball is thrown in each of the six venues ready to host an unprecedented exciting competition, we have sifted through the latest reports and the teams announced, and ranked the best sides.

Take into account that these rankings are subject to change, once the final squads are announced, with injuries able to derail a side’s campaign, while the last friendly matches are played throughout Europe over the next few days.

Serbia

13, 15, 12, 20, 14. It is not a bingo card, rather Serbia’s finishing places in the standings at the EHF EURO in the previous editions of the competition, since sealing the silver medal at the edition they hosted in 2012.

Since coach Toni Gerona was appointed to lead the side, things have been getting better and better, and the team look poised to have a break-out performance at a major international competition, with the players really buying into his system.

Serbia qualified with 10 points in five matches, dropping a single match against Norway and winning their home match against the Scandinavian side, which boosted their confidence. However, they will miss the MVP of M20 EHF EURO 2022, Stefan Dodic, while their captain, left wing Nemanja Ilic, is doubtful, due to an injury.

Portugal

Portugal have had a mixed bag of results since their return to the big stage in 2020, when they shocked everybody to finish in sixth place. In the previous edition of the EHF EURO, Paulo Pereira’s side lost all three matches, to end 19^th, but the signs were there, as their goal difference was only -6 goals.

Of course, all eyes will be on Francisco Costa, as the right back and the top goal scorer of M20 EHF EURO 2022 will make his debut at a senior EHF EURO, already shining for Portugal in the friendly match against Germany, which Portugal lost by a single goal, 33:34.

This team has the potential to surprise and, in spite of playing against Denmark early in the preliminary round, they can throw in a shock or two throughout the competition due to their exuberance and talent.

Norway

Pooling together seven players at club level, who all signed for Kolstad last summer was an excellent move for Norway, creating a new chemistry in the squad, especially as stars like Sander Sagosen, Gøran Johannessen and Magnus Abelvik Rød moved over to their home country to start a new adventure.

This will likely have galvanised the Norway challenge, albeit the latter two players, crucial in their own respect in the back line, are doubtful for EHF EURO 2024, due to injuries. Yet Norway have always been a team to be treated with respect over the past decade, especially as Sagosen is now back at 100 per cent after his devastating Achilles injury.

The 27:27 draw against Denmark proved a point for Norway; if they can keep their ground, they could secure a place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2020, as they do not face a supposed major opponent until the main round, despite some exciting games on the menu.

Germany

The hosts will be favoured to deliver good performances at EHF EURO 2024 and, backed by their excellent fans, they will be aiming to secure their best finish since Poland 2016, when they won the title. Since then, Germany have not only failed to make the podium, they have missed out on the semi-finals altogether, therefore this might look like the perfect setting for them to seal a good performance.

A perfect mix of experience and youth shines in Alfred Gislason’s side, as the expectations are high from centre back Juri Knorr, goalkeeper Andreas Wolff and line players Justus Fischer and Johannes Golla, with the handling of the pressure being an interesting factor for Germany.

In the first match in 2024, Germany took a narrow 34:33 win against Portugal, proving that Gislason’s side has plenty of firepower and can win even high-scoring matches, yet their path towards the semi-finals could be difficult, with matches against France and Spain looming in the preliminary round and the main round respectively, providing the hosts make it to the second phase of the competition.

France

In what will be the last EHF EURO for Nikola Karabatic, France aim to send him off on a high, with a sixth medal at the EHF EURO and possibly a fourth title, which would be fitting for such a career.

However, France will have their challenges, especially as they are drawn in group A, alongside hosts Germany, in what is the most exciting clash of the preliminary round, therefore the room for mistake is slim for “Les Experts”.

Nevertheless, France, who were runners-up at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship, have had an excellent 2023, with six wins in a row, including a friendly match win against Romania, 40:21, taking their form over into 2024 having also taken a 35:26 win over Tunisia in their first friendly before travelling to Germany.

France have a talented and experienced squad at their disposal, as their aim is surely to sweep their opponents at both EHF EURO 2024 and at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in a big year for this team.

Denmark

Since winning their second title in 2012, Denmark have been hit-and-miss at the EHF EURO, clinching only two medals in the past five editions of the premier European competition: the silver in 2014 and the bronze at Hungary/Slovakia 2022. They will surely want to forget about the 13^th place in 2020, when they missed out on a place in the semi-finals, which surely acted as a big lesson for the reigning world championship.

Denmark have won the three editions of the IHF Men’s World Championship, made the final in the past two editions of the Olympic Games, and have a hugely talented squad at their disposal, with Mathias Gidsel and Simon Pytlick each shining in the major international competitions they played in.

While this might be the last hurrah for Mikkel Hansen at the EHF EURO, with the towering left back aiming to seal his fourth medal and his second title in the competition, Denmark had a blip on the radar in their friendly match against Norway, drawing 27:27, after taking what seemed a commanding 26:21 lead with 10 minutes to go. Yet Denmark are still looking to be a strong contender – the strongest in fact – to clinch their first title since 2012.