Montenegro

Last time around, at the Women’s EHF EURO 2022, when they were co-hosts, Montenegro enjoyed a perfect start in Podgorica. That set them on the path to a bronze medal, their second medal in history at an EHF EURO after the title in 2012.

But Montenegro have failed to build on the 2022 success. They failed to make the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after conceding a loss to Slovenia in the Olympic Qualification Tournament, and several players have retired, such as influential right wing Jovanka Radičević, the player with the largest number of caps and the largest number of goals for the Montenegro national team.

There have also been changes on the bench. Legend Bojana Popović was replaced by her former teammate, Suzana Lazović, a member of the Montenegro team which secured silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games and gold at the EHF EURO 2012.

However, Lazović’s experience at the highest level in coaching is slim. She spent the last three years in China, where she led the junior national team to the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship.

But Lazović knows the Montenegrin spirit, is a coach which will always put the team first, and knows a thing or two about defence. That means Montenegro are likely to return to their old selves, a defence-first team, who will celebrate each goal as it was the winner.

In the Qualifiers, Montenegro were one of the teams which secured six wins in six matches. With Lazović on the bench, Montenegro also saw the return of experienced centre back Milena Raičević in the roster, another plus for a team which has a very young core.

But Montenegro’s credentials will be heavily tested at the EHF EURO 2024, when they face Serbia again in group B, plus Romania and Czechia, in what will certainly prove to be one of the most balanced groups in the preliminary round of the competition.