Croatia

Croatia are making their 13th participation at the Women's EHF EURO, following their first appearance at the first tournament in 1994.

Known as the 'Queens of Shock' after their stunning bronze medal in 2020, Croatia faced some ups and downs since. The 2022 campaign did not end with similar success, with the team finishing in 10th place. However, with a new head coach, Ivica Obrvan, there is a fresh wave of optimism and a new objective for a team that wants to prove they can do more.

Obrvan led Croatia to 16th place at the 2023 IHF Women's World Handball Championship, after taking over the helm only a month prior to the competition. However it was former head coach, Nenad Sostaric, who led Croatia to their first two victories in the early stages of the Women's EHF EURO 2024 qualifiers before resigning to take up a role at HC Zagreb.

Croatia went on to secure their spot at the EHF EURO 2024 by finishing second in group 1. Even though they lost two tight matches against Romania (24:26, 25:23), they were more than convincing against both Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, at the EHF EURO, they aim to extend their effort and showcase the progress they have made since the last competition.

One thing is certain, Croatia will have almost every player ready to take over the court in Switzerland and possibly Austria, after having trouble in the last couple of competitions with serious injuries to key players. The backbone of the team remains players from the Croatian league, particularly HC Podravka Vegeta, complemented by experienced players playing in Romania or Hungary for the most part.

In group D Croatia have a realistic chance of beating ambitious Switzerland and the debutants from the Faroe Islands, while they will also meet Denmark again — after beating the Danes to bronze in 2020, but falling 17:26 in the main round in 2022 to the eventual silver medallists. With a balanced mix of young talent and well-known players, fans are hoping the 'Queens of Shock' can once again surprise the handball world.