Belgrade 2026: Meet the teams – Group B – Croatia, Greece, Georgia and Slovenia

CROATIA

• After becoming an independent country, the Croats won their first medal in 1999 at the Europeans, a silver (before that their ranks were: 5th, 4th, 4th). This was followed by some ups and downs: 2001: 4., 2003: 2., 2006: 7., 2008: 4., before making the top at home in 2010, when they won the European title in Zagreb. But next came the worst ever performance in Eindhoven 2012, when they came 9th. Then they were 5th in Budapest and 7th in Belgrade. After making the semis 7 times in 9 editions, they couldn’t advance to the top four in three straight occasions. This bad run was halted in 2018 when they made the semis and beat Italy for the bronze, then in Budapest they were back to the semis again but after single-goal losses to Spain and Montenegro they finished 4^th. Then came two more home editions and just like in 2010, they clinched the title in Split 2022 and were on their way to repeat that feat in Zagreb 2024 but lost the final to Spain amidst dramatic circumstances – so they made the semis on the last four Europeans.

• The Croats reached the final at the Olympics upon three times in the last four editions, captured gold in London 2012, came second in Rio 2016 and in Paris 2024. They also had a silver on their debut in Atlanta 1996, followed by three modest showings (7th, 10th, 6th) and in Tokyo they were beaten in the quarters again (by Hungary) and came 5^th.

• In the Worlds they have an amazing run: after five medal-less performances between 1994 and 2005, they claimed medals in 7 successive editions, including titles from 2007 and 2017, four bronze medals in 2009-11-13 and 2019, and a silver from 2015. In 2022, they made the semis for a record 9^th straight time, but their medal run came to an end as they finished 4^th. Then in 2023, they fall from grace for the first time in 20 years and tied their worst-ever performances from 1998 and 2003 to finish 9^th in Fukuoka. Only to bounce back and win the World Championships in Doha 2024, but again, missed the semis in Singapore 2025 where they dropped to 5^th place.

• Croatia have one World League crown from 2012, and three silvers and three bronzes. In the World Cup they earned one silver and a bronze as their best efforts.

• After Croatia had a brilliant run in 2024 by reaching the finals at all three big tournaments (silver at the Europeans, gold at the Worlds, silver at the Olympics), they returned home empty-handed from the World Cup (4^th) and the Worlds (5^th).

GREECE

• Greece have yet to win a big tournament, let alone a medal at the Europeans. Their quest started in 1970 with a 10th place finish, then after a spell in Group B (second division), they returned to the elite in 1985 (8th). Greece are regular participants since 1989 (11th). At home they had a breakthrough performance in 1991 (6th) and repeated that in 1993. They reached the semis twice, in 1999 and the last time in Belgrade 2016, but finished 4th on both occasions. This was followed by 5^th place in Barcelona – despite scoring the most goals during the fortnight, 85 – and repeated that in 2022 and 2024 as well. Beforehand they came 6th in 2006, 2012, 2014, 7th in 1997, 2001 and 2020, 8th in 2003, 9th in 1995, 2010, 11th in 2008.

• Their best-ever result came at the Olympics in Tokyo when they marched all the way to the final, beat Hungary in the semis (also in the prelims), only to succumb to Serbia, but they were the happiest silver-medallists in history. Before that, their best effort was a 4th place from the home Games in 2004, and they were 6th in 1996 and in Rio 2016.

• While they had never stood on the podium at the Europeans, they had five medals from the World Championships. They made the podium for the first time in Montreal 2005, then 10 years later in Kazan. In the last four editions, they medalled at three events, got a bronze in 2022, silver in 2023 and bronze in 2025. All in all, they made the semis 7 times in the last 11 editions.

• The Greeks claimed a silver at the 1997 World Cup and again last year in Podgorica, and four bronzes in the World League (2004, 2006, 2016, 2020).

GEORGIA

• Ever since they first appeared at the Europeans in 2014, Georgia never failed to make the championship. They finished 12th in Budapest 2014 on their debut, then came 14th in Belgrade 2016 and 13th in Barcelona 2018. They were 10^th in Budapest, then achieved their best result in Split 2022 when they managed to make the quarter-finals and finished 8^th – then lost the crossovers in 2024 and were 10^th again..

• Georgia lost their first nine matches at the 2014 and 2016 Europeans before tying a game with the Netherlands in Belgrade though they lost the ensuing penalty shootout. Then they managed to gain their first ever win (12-11) over Turkey. In Budapest 2020, they qualified from the prelims by stunning the French (9-7) and almost caused another upset in the crossovers, losing to Russia by a single goal (13-14) – then they managed to beat the Netherlands in Zagreb 2024 to advance to the QF for the first time.

• Georgia managed to make the cut for the World Championships once, in 2022 – so they debuted at the Europeans in Budapest in 2014, then at the Worlds in 2022.

SLOVENIA

• Slovenia have taken part five times at the Europeans. In 1999 they finished 11^th, then in 2003 (as a host) and again in 2006 they finished the bottom place (12^th) – and were part of the show again in 2022 (16^th) and 2024 (14^th).

• They are yet to appear at the other big events as they never played at the World Championships or the Olympics.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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