The golden end of the diamond representative year

The new European under-19 water polo champions, the Croatian national team led by coach Zoran Bajić, are returning to their homeland today (Sunday, September 9). The scheduled landing at Zagreb's Franjo Tuđman Airport is at 6:05 p.m., so this is also the first opportunity to greet them here, at home, on home soil.

It will also be the final act of a wonderful, hard-to-repeat, in any case unique year of Croatian water polo. Years with 4 medals, with 4 finals. Barracuda, our seniors, who are the supreme pride of Croatian water polo, became world champions, European runners-up, and Olympic silver medalists this year.

However, their younger generation, the generation that is knocking on Barakud's door, now has a 'golden bat' in their hands for that knocking. They are the champions of Europe, for the first time since the independence of the country we have the best on the Old Continent in the under-19 age group.

Pledge of faith in the future

Guys who come from different clubs and cities, right and left players, great centers, a perfect goalkeeper and reliable defenders. Everything is determined by players who already have experience playing in the senior lineups of their clubs, and some of them even 2-3 years of playing in, for example, the Champions League. And all "kids" aged 18-19. Great! After all, some of them were already on the wider list of the A national team this summer.

- I am sure of it and I believed in it from the very beginning. I sincerely hope that our future senior national team members are among those guys. I just wish them further good, quality development in the clubs. If it will be systematic and if they will follow their desired course, I think they will not lack space in the senior national team - in this matter, the coach of the under-19 national team, Zoran Bajić.

This success, the European gold from Bulgaria, is a pledge of faith in the great future of our water polo. At the same time, it is certainly an obligation for everyone who will now work with these young men in the clubs, to sharpen and polish even more the talent they undoubtedly have. To the diamond!

For some future years and new successes in Croatian water polo.

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The road to gold

1. round: Croatia – Hungary 9:10 a.m

2. round: Croatia - Spain 11:9

3. round: Croatia - Montenegro 8:7

Round of eight: Croatia - Turkey 14:7

Quarterfinal: Croatia - Greece 11:10

Semifinal: Croatia - Spain 14:10

Final: Croatia - Montenegro 10:8 (5 m)

Champions of Europe

1. Mauro Ivan Čubranić, goalkeeper (Primorje EB)

2. Mauro Prkoča, defender (South Adriatic Insurance)

3. Duje Cuzzi, right side (Adriatic)

4. Maro Šušić, left side (South Adriatic Insurance)

5. Dominik Obuljen, right side (Mladost)

6. Gabrijel Burburan, left side (Primorje EB)

7. Ivuša Burđelez, defender (South Adriatic Insurance)

8. Šime Žilić, center (Galeb MR/Adriatic)

9. Amar Fajković, defender (Mladost)

10. Port of Penava, right side (Sailor)

11. Viktor Tončinić, center (Primorje EB)

12. Vlaho Pavlić, left side (KPK/South Adriatic Insurance)

13. Jakov Ćosić, goalkeeper (Mladost)

14. Ante Jerković, right side (South Adriatic Insurance)

15. Duje Katunarić, center (Mornar)

Coach:  Zoran Bajić

Assistant coaches: Igor Računica, Ivan Rukavina

Goalkeeper coach and video analysis: Marino Marović

Physiotherapist: Andro Petrić

Team manager: Emil Nikolić

Photo: European Aquatics