Funchal 2026: Dutch delight as Netherlands secure second successive European crown with epic shootout victory
The Netherlands continued their dominance on the continental stage by retaining their European title with a sensational shootout victory in Thursday’s final against Hungary. Having been crowned champions in Eindhoven two years ago, the Dutch repeated the feat in Madeira to secure back-to-back wins. Laura Aarts was the hero, decisively saving Rita Keszthelyi’s penalty in the second round to hand her team the initiative, and Lola Moolhuijzen fired in their fifth shot to spark wild celebrations. The triumph secured a magnificent seventh gold for the Netherlands, taking their overall European medal total to 14 (seven gold, four silver and three bronze). Earlier, Greece got over their semi-final disappointment by outclassing Italy and denying their rivals a place on the podium for a second successive European Championships. The victory takes the Greeks’ continental medal total to six (four silver, two bronze), but their wait for a first European gold continues.
Women’s 2026 European Water Polo Championships – Funchal
Day 11, Thursday 4 February
1st-4th finals
Gold medal match
Hungary 10-10 (3-5P) Netherlands
MVP: Simone Van de Kraats (NED)
Bronze medal match
Greece 15-8 Italy
MVP: Eleni Xenaki (GRE)
Final rankings: 1. Netherlands, 2. Hungary, 3. Greece, 4. Italy, 5. Spain, 6. Croatia, 7. Israel, 8. France, 9. Great Britain, 10. Serbia, 11. Germany, 12. Portugal, 13. Türkiye, 14. Switzerland, 15. Slovakia, 16. Romania
Tournament top scorer: Bea Ortiz (Spain) – 25 goals
MVP Team of the Tournament: Laura Aarts (NED), Maria Myriokefalitaki (GRE), Rita Keszthelyi (HUN), Simone Van de Kraats (NED), Krisztina Garda (HUN), Kitty Lynn Joustra (NED) and Eleni Xenaki (GRE)
Gold medal match
Hungary 10-10 (3-5P) Netherlands
(3-1, 1-4, 2-2, 4-3, 3-5P)
Five days after meeting in the second group stage, Hungary faced title-holders Netherlands for a second time in Funchal, and this time for the gold.
In the opening quarter, it was clear another epic defensive battle was developing, but the Hungarians started by doing something they hadn’t been able to do five days earlier – take the lead.
It was Eszter Varro who struck first from the centre, and it was her brilliant block seconds earlier – deflecting Simone Van de Kraat’s shot on extra – that helped set up her opportunity at the other end.
Hungary captain Rita Keszthelyi then made a steal on the halfway line and swam through for an easy finish past Laura Aarts, and the Magyars were suddenly two up.
Lola Moolhuijzen quickly replied, flashing in a fierce shot from the perimeter to get the reigning champions up and running.
Aarts then brilliantly denied Krisztina Garda with a fine save, while Boglarka Neszmely also made several stunning reaction stops for Hungary.
The Hungarians soon restored their two-goal advantage, with Panna Tiba hammering in a 6m shot for 3-1 just before the first break.
Van de Kraats finally got her goal at the start of the second quarter, floating a precision lob from the perimeter over Neszmely to bring the Dutch within one (3-2).
Midway through the second quarter, the reigning champions were level, as Fleurien Bosveld’s shot from the left flashed in for 3-3.
Seconds later, the Netherlands went ahead for the first time, with another Van de Kraats lob clipping the far post and drifting over the line, prompting Hungary coach Sandor Cseh to immediately call a time-out.
Christina Hicks then came up with a huge block to deny Natasa Rybanska, who looked certain to score after rising to receive the ball in the centre during their next six-on-five.
With 1:45 remaining in the half, Van de Kraats smashed in a penalty to open up a two-goal lead (3-5), before Varro ended Hungary’s 7:34-long drought, rifling in on extra to cut the deficit to one (4-5) by half-time.
In the third, Vanda Valyi struck first to tie the scores, finishing off a well-executed six-on-five from the centre.
The posts had saved the Hungarians twice in this quarter, then it was Dorottya Szilagy’s turn to hit the frame of the goal from a six-on-five.
After a turnover foul, which clearly infuriated Netherlands coach Eva Doudesis, Hungary captain Rita Keszthelyi turned her marker in the centre to hand the lead back to the Magyars.
The advantage was soon wiped out, though, as yet another lob – this time from Leike Rogge from the left wing – evaded Neszmely’s grasp.
With 33 seconds remaining before the last break, the Dutch nudged ahead once more, as Bosveld rifled in a 6m blast.
In the fourth, a breathtaking Krisztina Garda shot from around 8m arrowed into the corner to level the scores, but a sinking Maartje Keuning was then just able to place her six-on-five shot in the corner (the Netherlands’ first successful woman-up shot after earning eight exclusions).
It was a frantic end-to-end contest, with blocks and saves ruling the day, and another Garda 6m rocket lit up the arena to make it 8-8 with 6:44 on the clock.
Moments later, the Dutch were back ahead, as Keuning tapped in after a quick extra, but the scores were all square after a mix-up with the Netherlands substitutions allowed Valyi to swim through and score from the left wing.
The title-holders kept finding solutions in attack, though, and Kitty Lynn Joustra powered in from the centre after a smart assist from Bente Rogge on extra for 9-10 with 4:39 remaining (after missing their first seven six-on-fives, they had now converted three in a row).
Garda then struck the bar from distance and Aarts denied her again in their next six-on-five. The post also kept out Tiba’s shot from the perimeter, as Hungary desperately searched for an equaliser.
With 1:44 left to play, Cseh called a time-out and from their ensuing attack, they worked the ball around well before Tiba’s shot from the right wing skipped off the water and past Aarts for 10-10.
The Dutch squandered a late six-on-five chance, as Keuning failed to control the ball and shot well wide of the left post, but they successfully shut down Hungary’s attack to give themselves one last chance to win it in the dying seconds – just like they did in Eindhoven two years ago.
However, after two Dutch time-outs, and going for a last-gasp seven-on-six, they couldn’t find a winner this time.
In the shootout, Keszthelyi missed in the second round, as Aarts tipped her shot over the bar to hand her team the initiative.
The Dutch didn’t blink, with Van der Kraats, Maxine Schaap and finally Moolhuijzen all scoring to spark wild celebrations in the pool and stands.
The trophy was heading back to the Netherlands.
Bronze medal match
Greece 15-8 Italy
(5-1, 5-3, 5-2, 0-2)
The bronze-medal game was a repeat of the 2024 battle for third place in Eindhoven, with the Greeks narrowly winning that clash 7-6.
In Funchal, Greece started the game with a slight psychological edge after also beating the Italians five days ago in the second group stage, 15-10.
Foteini Tricha opened the scoring for the Greeks with a fierce 6m blast that just brushed Italy keeper Aurora Condorelli’s left hand and bobbled over the line.
Soon, it was 2-0, as Eleftheria Plevritou overpowered her marker in the centre and slammed the ball into the far corner of the net.
Italy captain Roberta Bianconi got her team off the mark with a shot from a tight angle on the right, and although Ioanna Stamatopoulou got a strong hand to it, she could only deflect it in.
Greece then struck three more times – through Vasiliki Plevritou, Christina Siouti and Eirini Ninou – to move four clear at the end of the first quarter (5-1).
A poor 6-1 start cost the Italians dearly in the group phase, as they weren’t able to recover, and it was very nearly a repeat early scoreline here, but Vasiliki Plevritou had sent her penalty way over the crossbar with 0:57 on the clock.
The Greeks soon did have a sixth goal, though, with Maria Patra making no mistake with her penalty at the start of the second period, then Dafne Bettini instantly replied by rifling in on extra.
Maria Myriokefalitaki struck next with a powerful backhander from the centre, then turned provider, drawing two defenders before smartly pushing the ball out to Afroditi Bitsakou, who had time and space to delicately float her lob shot into the far corner.
Bianconi and Bettini added one more each to momentarily disrupt the Greek surge, but they weren’t able to turn the tide, and headed into half-time trailing by six (10-4).
In the third, both teams exchanged quick goals, before Eleni Xenaki and Vasiliki Plevritou each scored to put Greece in total command at 13-5.
As prolific as they were in attack, the Greeks were doing an equally good job in defence, denying the Italians time and time again.
It was 15-6 by the last break, and it was clear Italy were condemned to a second straight fourth-place finish at the European Championships.
Cries of ‘Italia, Italia’ were still ringing out in the stands, but there was simply no way back for the Italians, and although they won the last quarter 0-2, Greece comfortably confirmed their place on the medal podium and a second successive bronze.
The overall shot stats told the story of the game, as the more clinical Greece finished with figures of 15/31, while Italy ended with 8/31.
Greece’s 15 goals against Italy also took them to the top of the overall team stats with 134 goals, nine ahead of Spain (125).
After the game, Greece’s Xenaki was named MVP of the bronze medal match, after a sensational overall performance, scoring twice and constantly leading her team in attack and defence.
For the full results and tables from the women’s European Water Polo Championships in Funchal, click here
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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics
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