
Unbeaten Denmark and Portugal clash in decisive semi-final to set up Croatia crunch clash
February 1, 2025
“A way of life” – volunteering at the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship
February 1, 2025“We didn’t write this. This is a higher power. This is a reward for everything we have given in life, in handball life.”
Arguably the most unlikely finalist in recent memory of the IHF Men’s World Championship, Croatia, are back with a bang. And centre back Igor Karacic, who was called up after the first match, to cover for the plethora of injuries which hampered the co-hosts, thinks it is not only about handball. It is also about destiny.
Imagine this scenario. A team which has disappointed at the last edition of the IHF Men’s World Championship, the EHF EURO and failed to make it out of the preliminary round of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will play the final at the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship.
They were not even considered as underdogs. It looked like they were an afterthought, despite being the co-hosts, due to a slew of injuries which probably no team would have withstood.
Their captain, legend Domagoj Duvnjak has played 11 minutes and 54 seconds in the last four matches – all do-or-die for Croatia. Starting centre back Luka Cindric had 50 minutes and 25 seconds throughout the competition and was in the stands after aggravating an injury against Argentina, in the second match in Zagreb.
Backs Zvonimir Srna and Ivan Martinovic are clearly limping and struggling to run at full pace. Starting left wing David Mandic, a key player in Croatia’s defence, was injured in a practice match, came back against Iceland, in the main round, but broke his hand against Slovenia and did not return to the competition, undergoing a surgery to repair his shooting arm.
This cripple battalion has seen everything, but closed their eyes, sang the “Lijepa naša” a few more times, got back from the dead and, somehow, nobody knows how, secured a place in the final at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025, in a way that everybody will talk about for decades to come.
With a buzzer-beater win against Hungary, after being down four goals with six minutes to go. With a win against France in the semi-finals, when they were big underdogs, avenging the loss in the final of the 2009 IHF Men’s World Championship, also played in Zagreb.
True heroes.
“It’s crazy, I don’t know what to say. I think we’re not aware of what we’ve done yet and that we’ll have to re-examine it. Or maybe we’ll be aware of how big of a deal this is after the tournament is over. With a roster like this, with a lot of injuries,” said Croatia’s left back, Tin Lucin, after the win in the semi-final against France.
There will probably be documentaries and movies made about this wacky band of misfits, who were easily considered also rans. The folklore will be written about how Domagoj Duvnjak was there on the bench, running, or better said, limping, on the sideline to instil some life into the team.
And prolong his international career by one match. And one match more. And then another one. And, in the end, to bow out in a final of the IHF Men’s World Championship, the second of his career.
“The feelings are phenomenal, I would like to thank the guys for this game. The feeling is very strange, we have a medal assured and now we go to the final. Croatian handball has a future. It will surely gain confidence after this tournament. I hope we won’t have to wait more years for another shot,” said Duvnjak after the 31:28 win against France on Thursday evening.
But now, everything is about the final. After eight matches – seven wins and a loss – Croatia are leaving Zagreb, the place they called home for the last weeks. They were based in Karlovac, one hour from the capital, where they nurtured their wounds, trained and rested.
The send-off to their last match, has been absolutely fantastic, with hundreds of people lined up on both sides of the road, with flares and huge roars, giving an extra boost of energy.
Sometimes, it is not about tactics, it is not about hardships, it is just about heart and courage. Every time Croatia got on the court at the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, they delivered that.
It does not matter that they are not the top attack in the competition. They did, however, fare excellent in defence – sixth best so far – also having the largest number of steals per match in the competition. And due to their attacking scheme, Croatia have turned the ball over the second lowest number of times, with seven per match.
It is, basically, the perfect storm. A talented team needed some guidance and got it in the form of Davor Sigurdsson – currently nicknamed “Drago” in Croatian – the first foreign coach in the history of the team.
“Knowing what kind of health conditions we were in… these guys are all heroes,” said Sigurdsson, who is now tasked with another mammoth job, the last one for Croatia in this epic January.
And Zvonimir Srna’s words sum everything up quite nicely.
“After 16 years, we managed to restore faith in Croatian handball, we restored faith in the future and I think that’s the most important thing and that we gathered the fans around the national team again,” said Srna.
Charters are already booked, Croatia will move to Oslo and the interest is huge. Gold or silver? Does it really matter?
This team will be welcomed back home on Monday with open arms and a parade in central Zagreb.
For them, it has been a January to remember.