Belgrade 2026: Meet the teams – Group C – Serbia, Spain, Netherlands and Israel
SERBIA
• Serbia’s amazing run of 9 consecutive podium finishes came to an end in Budapest 2020 when they lost to Spain in the quarters (after penalties) and had to settle for the 5th place. Before Budapest 2020, they won 7 of the previous 9 editions (2001, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), stood on the podium 10 times in the 11 editions they took part since their return in 1997, only missing the medal in 1999 and then in 2020 (their tally stands 7-2-1). Though that loss was just a beginning of a bad run as they were shockingly beaten by the French in the crossovers to finish 9th in Split, an all-time low. Two years later, a shootout loss in the quarters to Hungary prevented them from making the semis again, so now they missed the top flight in three straight editions.
• Yugoslavia first entered the Europeans in 1934, finishing 5th. After skipping the 1938 and 1947 editions they became a constant medal winners: silver in 1954, 1958, 1962, 1977, bronze in 1950, 1966, 1970, 1974. Ironically, at home in Split this run was halted (4th place in 1981, the same in 1983), then came three more silvers (1985, 1987, 1989). It took 14 participations before they earned their first win in 1991. Yugoslavia was Olympic champion in 1968, 1984 and 1988, world champion in 1986 and 1991.
• The Serbs could return (still under the name of Yugoslavia) to the world stage in 1996. A European silver in 1997 was the highlight before the big run has started in 2000. Since the Sydney Games they reached at least the semi-finals all but four times between 2000 and 2022 (only missing the SF at the 2013, 2019 and 2022 Worlds and at the 2020 Europeans). They clinched 25 gold medals en route: the Olympic titles (2016, 2021), 3 world titles (2005, 2009, 2015), 7 European titles (2001, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), 12 World League titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), 3 World Cup titles (2006, 2010, 2014).
• At the majors (Worlds, Europeans, World League Super Finals, World Cup) the Serbs had an unbeaten run of 38 matches (34 wins, 4 ties) between the prelim’s third round of the 2014 European Championships and the prelim’s third round of the 2016 Olympic Games, when Brazil stunned them 6-5.
• They won 9 straight big competitions: 2014 World League, 2014 Europeans, 2014 World Cup, 2015 World League, 2015 World Championships, 2016 Europeans, 2016 World League, 2016 Olympics, 2017 World League. Their golden streak came to an end at the 2017 Worlds when Croatia beat them in the semis, and they had to settle for the bronze medal.
• Once several big players of their golden generation retired after retaining the Olympic title in Tokyo, a sharp decline came in their performances. They have been without a podium finish at the last five editions at the Worlds (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 – though made the semis in 2023 and 2025), at the last three Europeans (2020, 2022, 2024) and at the last two World Cups (2023, 2025) – but one thing didn’t change: they won the Olympics in Paris in stunning fashion to match Hungary’s historic feat to win three straight titles (2016, 2021, 2024).
SPAIN
• Spain arrives to Belgrade as the title-holders and the reigning world champions. Two years ago, they finally made it to the top in Zagreb, after finishing runners-up in 2018 and 2020 and third in 2022.
• As incredible as it may sound, Spain have lost only a single game in regular time at the last four Europeans – the semi-finals in Split 2022, to Hungary. In 2018 and in 2020, they finished second after losing the finals in shootouts, to Serbia in Barcelona and to Hungary in Budapest.
• At the Europeans they have regular participants since 1954, missing only the 1962 edition (they had an early try in 1934 as well). Before their triumph in 2024, Spain’s best showings at the Europeans were those silver medals in 1991, 2018, 2020 and four bronzes from 1983, 1993, 2006 and 2022. Apart from the medal-winning performance in Belgrade 2006, they missed the top flight between 1995 and 2016. They lost five Qfs in a row, and had to settle for the 7th place in 2008, 2012 and 2014, 8th in 2010 and 5th in 2016.
• The men’s heydays date back to the 90s when the team – after two silver medals at the Worlds in 1991 and 1994 and one from the 1992 Olympics – won the Olympic title in 1996 and back-to-back world titles in 1998 and 2001 (played in 4 straight world champ finals).
• All in all, at the Worlds, Spain was coming back after a smaller shock as they couldn’t qualify for the 2015 World Championships: they missed the big event for the first time in their history. Beforehand, besides their four straight finals between 1994 and 2001, they had two more medals, a bronze in 2007 and a silver in 2009, 5th place finishes in 2003 and 2005 and in 2011 and 2013 (at both Worlds held in Barcelona in 2003 and 2013). Their 9th place in Budapest in 2017 was the lowest ranking since 1978 – only to bounce back and made the podium at the last five editions: 2019: silver, 2022: gold, 2023: bronze, 2024: bronze, 2025: gold.
• All in all, Spain is the team to beat – since 2018, they never failed to make the podium at all majors but the Olympics. They medalled at the last five editions of the World Championships (2019-2025), at the last four Europeans (2018-2024), won the last two World Cups (2023, 2025), however, the curse at the Olympics didn’t go away – ever since they won in 1996, they were unable to add any medal at the Games, Paris 2024 was the 7th straight edition without a podium-finish.
NETHERLANDS
• The Netherlands captured one title at the men’s Europeans, it dates back to 1950. There, in Vienna, Rudy van Feggelen was the tournament’s top scorer with 35 hits, the second-best individual effort ever to Manuel Estiarte’s 36 goals from Athens 1991. The Dutch have one more medal from the Europeans, a bronze in 1938. Since that year they were regular participants, missed the Europeans only in 2008, 2010 and 2014 (and played in Group B in 1987). In past editions they usually finished between the 10th and 12th places: they were 10th in 2001, 2006, 2012 and 2018, 11th in 2003 and 12th in 1999 and 2016. However, they were dropped to 15th in Budapest 2020 after coming short in a three-way tie with Romania and Russia in the prelims. They did a bit better in the last two editions in Croatia, finished 11th both in Split and in Dubrovnik.
• The Dutch are among the four nations whose men and women team both have managed to win the European titles at least once in the past (Hungary, Italy and Russia/Soviet Union are the other three).
• They were regular participants at the Olympics between 1908 and 2000, missing the Games only in 1912, 1956 (boycott) and 1988. Their best efforts were two bronze medals, from 1948 and 1976. They were unable to make the cut for the last six editions.
• They took part in all but one editions of the World Championships between 1973 and 1994, their best effort was a 4th place in 1982. Since Rome 1994, they had one more appearance, in 2001, finished 9th, but till date that was their last journey to the Worlds.
ISRAEL
• Israel’s men team debuted at the Europeans in Split 2022 and they managed to do a great run to finish 12th. Two years later they were back but this time they were unable to avoid to finish last (16th).
• Interestingly, well before they made the Europeans, they had three World Championships appearances in the early years, though could barely match their rivals’ strength (16th in 1973 and 1978, 15th in 1986).
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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics
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