2024 European Championship guide: Crash course in group A-C

The 2024 European Championship starts in less than two weeks and it’s time to introduce the groups here at Gohandball.

The first day of the 2024 European Championship is almost here. On the 10th of January, it finally starts.

Here is Gohandballs guide for group A-C. We go through each group and the different nation’s stars and expectations.

Group A

France

Number of ECs (including 2024): 16
Result last EC: 4 (2022)
Greatest merits: 3 Olympic gold (2008, 2012, 2020), 6 WC gold (1995, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017), 3 EC gold (2006, 2010, 2014)
Stars: Nedim Remili (Kielce), Dika Mem (FC Barcelona), Ludovic Fabregas (Veszprem)

Germany

Number of ECs (including 2024): 15
Result last EC: 7 (2022)
Greatest merits: 1 Olympic gold (1936), 3 WC gold (1938, 1978, 2007), 2 EC gold (2004, 2016)
Stars: Juri Knorr (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Andreas Wolff (Kielce), Johannes Golla (SG Flensburg-Handewitt)

North Macedonia

Number of ECs (including 2024): 11
Result last EC: 22 (2022)
Greatest merits: 9th place WC (2015), 5th place EC (2012)
Stars: Dejan Manaskov (Vardar), Filip Taleski (Benfica)

Switzerland

Number of ECs (including 2024): 5
Result last EC: 16 (2020)
Greatest merits: 1 Olympic bronze (1936) 4th place EC (1954, 1993)
Stars: Nikola Portner (SC Magdeburg), Lucas Meister (SC Magdeburg), Andy Schmid (Kriens-Luzern)

Group B

Spain

Number of ECs (including 2024): 16
Result last EC: 2 (2022)
Greatest merits: 4 Olympic bronze (1996, 2000, 2008, 2020), 2 WC gold (2005, 2013), 2 EC gold (2018, 2020)
Stars: Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (FC Barcelona), Alex Dujshebaev (Kielce), Aleix Gomes (FC Barcelona)

Croatia

Number of ECs (including 2024): 16
Result last EC: 8 (2022)
Greatest merits: 2 Olympic gold (1996, 2004), 1 WC gold (2003), 3 EC silver (2008, 2010, 2020)
Stars: Domagoj Duvnjak (THW Kiel), Luka Cindric (Dinamo Bukarest), Igor Karacic (Kielce)

Austria

Number of ECs (including 2024): 6
Result last EC: 20 (2022)
Greatest merits: 1 Olympic silver (1936), 1 WC silver (1938)
Stars: Robert Weber (Bärnbach), Sebastian Frimmel (Pick Szeged)

Romania

Number of ECs (including 2024): 3
Result last EC: 9 (1996)
Greatest merits: 1 Olympic silver (1976), 4 WC gold (1961, 1964, 1970, 1974)
Stars: Andrei Negru (Dinamo Bukarest), Dan Racotea (Dinamo Bukarest), Octavian Bizau (Dinamo Bukarest)

Group C

Iceland

Number of ECs (including 2024): 13
Result last EC: 6 (2022)
Greatest merits: 1 Olympic silver (2008) 1 EC bronze (2010)
Stars: Omar Ingi Magnusson (SC Magdeburg), Gisli Kristjansson (SC Magdeburg), Aron Palmarsson (FH)

Hungary

Number of ECs (including 2024): 14
Result last EC: 15 (2022)
Greatest merits: 1 WC silver (1986)
Stars: Bence Banhidi (Pick Szeged), Dominik Mathé (PSG), Richard Bodo (Pick Szeged)

Serbia

Number of ECs (including 2024): 13
Result last EC: 14 (2022)
Greatest merits: 2 WC bronze (1999, 2001), 1 EC silver (2012)
Stars: Dejan Milosavljev (Füchse Berlin), Miljaljo Marsenic (Füchse Berlin)

Montenegro

Number of ECs (including 2024): 7
Result last EC: 11 (2022)
Greatest merits: 11th place EC (2022)
Stars: Milos Vujovic (Füchse Berlin), Nebojsa Simic (MT Melsungen), Vuko Borozan (RK Lovcen)