Spain’s under-18 handball team has been crowned European champions for the second time in its history after a hard-fought 34-32 victory over Sweden in the final at the Verde Complex in Podgorica. The Swedish side fought bravely, pushing the Spaniards to the limit and refusing to surrender until the closing seconds.
Javier Fernández, known as Jabato, guided his squad to a commanding win over the Scandinavian rivals with a 40-33 semifinal performance that established Spain as the team to beat in this tournament. This triumph marked a return to the top step of the podium, something not achieved since the competition’s second edition in 1994.
Spain opened with a confident 8-4 burst, creating an early cushion. Yet Sweden, led by star Axel Mansson who finished with 13 goals, battled back. Álvaro Pérez’s goalkeeping and timely saves kept Spain within striking distance as Sweden found its rhythm, edging to a 15-16 halftime lead and maintaining a tight balance for much of the match.
The momentum swung several times, but Spain showed resilience and composure to reclaim control. The tide turned as Spain moved from a 23-23 deadlock to a 31-28 lead, ultimately sealing the championship despite Sweden’s persistent threat. The game remained tense up to the final minutes as Sweden pressed for a late equalizer, calling a last-ditch push as the clock wound down.
Ian Barrufet’s crucial save in the dying minutes preserved Spain’s advantage, leaving the scoreboard at 33-30 with four minutes left. Sweden exploited the moment, narrowing the gap to 33-32 and leaving the door ajar for a dramatic finish. However, Álvaro Pérez delivered a decisive stop against Marcus Bjorkman, and the Spaniards extended their advantage again. Ferran Castillo then converted the next attack, making it 34-32 and delivering the final blow as the crowd roared in celebration. Spain’s goalkeeper even denied another Swedish scoring chance, allowing Jabato’s pupils and their supporters to begin the celebrations well before the whistle blew on the match.
Ferran Castillo emerged as a standout, finishing as one of the tournament’s top scorers and sharing that honor with Petar Cikusa for the most goals by a Spanish player. Castillo, along with Víctor Romero and Xavier González, was singled out as a leading contributor to the title run, with Cikusa adding four goals and Ian Barrufet contributing three. Other notable scorers included Djordje Cikusa with four, and Alejandro Pisonero and Ezequiel Conde with three and one goals respectively, complemented by contributions from Pablo Herrero.