Coach: Jordi Ribera

 

Key Players: Raul Entrerrios (Centre Back), Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (Goalkeeper), Eduardo Gurbindo (Right Back)

 

Qualification for the 2019 World Championship: EHF EURO 2018, Croatia – Winners

 

History in Tournament: 1954: DNQ, 1958: 12th, 1961-1970: DNQ, 1974: 13th, 1978: 10th, 1982: 8th, 1986: 5th, 1990: 5th, 1993: 5th, 1995: 11th, 1997: 7th, 1999: 4th, 2001: 5th, 2003: 4th, 2005: 1st, 2007: 7th, 2009: 13th, 2011: 3rd, 2013: 1st, 2015: 4th, 2017: 5th

 

“This happiness is for the group and what they have just accomplished – the team have always had a winning spirit, they believed they could make it since the beginning,” coach Jordi Ribera said after Spain beat Sweden 29:23 at Arena Zagreb to raise the EHF EURO trophy for the first time in their history – until then they had claimed four silver medals and two bronze.  

 

It was a well-earned title for the Spaniards, who defeated the 2016 European Championship winners Germany in the main round (31:27) and the 2017 IHF world champions France in the semi-finals (27:23). “We had to be strong to face adversities, injuries and ups and downs,” declared a satisfied Ribera.

 

Goalkeepers Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (Barca Lassa) and Rodrigo Corrales (PSG HB) ended with solid 34% and 32% save rates at the EHF EURO. Other highlights were the 30-year-old right back Eduardo Gurbindo, who had a magnificent year at HBC Nantes reaching the EHF Champions League Final4, and, on the same position, PGE Vive Kielce Alex Dujshebaev – named in the All-star Team of the continental tournament.

 

“The great merit of this team is that we all fought together as one for every ball,” said Spain captain Raul Entrerrios after the achievement at Croatia 2018. At his 37, Barca Lassa centre back perfectly represents the fighting soul of the Hispanos.

 

Spain believe they are perfectly ready to dispute the IHF Men’s Handball World Championship title – the one they obtained in 2005 and 2013. But first they have to succeed in Group B in Munich’s Olympiahalle where they will meet Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Bahrain and Japan in the preliminary round.

 

Follow the Spanish Federation on their website, on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

Group at Germany/Denmark 2019:

Group B: Spain, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Bahrain, Japan

 

Games at Germany/Denmark 2019:
All times local

Friday 11 January Bahrain vs Spain (20:30)
Sunday 13 January Spain vs Iceland (20:30)
Monday 14 January Spain vs Japan (20:30)
Wednesday 16 January FYR Macedonia vs Spain (20:30)
Thursday 17 January Spain vs Croatia (20:30)

 

IHF & Germany/Denmark 2019 Official Channels

Follow the 2019 IHF Men’s World Championship in Germany/Denmark on the IHF website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels as well as the official event website and Facebook and Instagram channels.

 

Photo: Royal Spanish Handball Federation