Spain retain men’s water polo World Cup crown

European teams dominated the men’s 2025 World Cup Final in Podgorica, Montenegro. The seven participating teams from the Old Continent took the first seven places – Spain defended their title from 2023, beating Greece in the final, while Hungary returned to the podium after claiming a thrilling shootout win over Olympic silver medallists Croatia.

Spain completed their brilliant run to retain their World Cup title, a fitting result for the team which had claimed medals at the last four editions of both the World and European Championships. And it may offer some relief for them after their disappointing fall at the Paris Olympics, which was in sharp contrast to the team’s outstanding achievements at the other majors (indeed, Spain are yet to win an Olympic medal ever since their great generation finally achieved the ultimate goal and became champions in 1996).

Though they lost their opening match to Hungary at the Division 1 tournament in Otopeni in January, five straight wins followed, including a rare triple of downing all three ex-Yugoslavian sides on back-to-back days.

They thrashed Serbia in the crossovers, Croatia in the quarters and Montenegro in the semis. Then they took a spectacular revenge on Hungary to finish top of the pile three months ago.

This also earned them an easy quarter-final match-up in the World Cup Final, held last weekend in Podgorica. They met with Division 2 runners-up Germany and Granados & Co did a clean job, as they stormed to a six-goal lead by half-time.

Netting seven in the second and fourth period showed their supremacy, and, as it turned out, they set the single-match scoring record for the final when they stopped at 22.

Downing Croatia again

In the semi-finals, arch-rivals Croatia were waiting, the team that ruined their Olympic dreams by upsetting them in the quarters in Paris. They also had a showdown in Otopeni, where the Spaniards edged out the Croats in a thriller. Croatia led in the fourth with six minutes to go and it was still 14-14 before Unai Biel scored the winner 57 seconds from time.

Now the game offered less excitements as the Croatian defence was crushed in the first half as they conceded 14 goals.

Indeed, the first period was like a no-load-just-shoot western, as Spain gained an 8-6 lead (again, in eight minutes), then Unai Aguirre managed to catch a couple of shots, while Marko Bijac had to be substituted, but nothing worked at the back and the Croats were five goals down at half-time.

Bijac came back after the middle break and delivered a couple of fine saves, while the Croats climbed back to 14-11, however Alvaro Granados hit two right away, in a span of 47 seconds and that killed their rivals’ momentum.

Granados finished the evening with seven goals, as the Spanish cruised to a 19-14 win. Interestingly, while the first half saw 23 goals, the second only five apiece – still, this new version of water polo usually produces 30 goals per game or more.

Standing in their way in the final were Greece, the team that had avenged their embarrassing 20-10 semi-final defeat against Hungary in Otopeni, as this time they downed the Magyars in the semis with a brilliant second-half performance.

Greece avenged defeat on young Hungarians

The Greeks had an easy ride in the quarters, as they cruised past Japan with a 20-10 rush to meet Hungary, who also enjoyed a calm afternoon on Day 1 as they handed a 21-11 defeat to Division 2 winners Netherlands.

It was an even contest in the first half, with the lead changing hands constantly, and Krisztian Manhercz’s late penalty gave the Hungarians an 8-7 lead.

However, Stylianos Argyropoulos stepped up and just like in the Champions League, playing for Ferencvaros – together with half of the Hungarian team… – scored great goals in crucial moments.

The Greeks delivered the decisive blow after 10-10, scoring three goals in a row and even though the Magyars pulled one back twice, the Greeks could always respond and after 12-15 they could add another one which put the game to bed.

The Hungarians, after playing in the final in Otopeni, had to settle for the bronze medal match – just like at the 2024 Europeans and at the Olympics. And they faced Croatia, the team which had knocked them out in the semis both in Zagreb, then in Paris.

This time the Magyars came out on top after a brilliant battle with a series of twists and turns. It was interesting to see two sides’ different approaches – Hungary’s head coach Zsolt Varga opted for a changing of the guard and showed up with an even younger team than in January, with nine players born after 2000 (five after 2003).

At the same time, Ivica Tucak brought back his old stars on board, like the 38- and 39-year-old centre giants Josip Vrlic and Luka Loncar.

They were instrumental in upsetting the host crowd, which watched in utter disbelief during the last minute of their quarter-final against the Croats. Montenegro, building on an early 3-0 run after 2-3, were always in the lead, and were also 10-8 up early in the fourth. However, Loren Fatovic was flying high and scored five goals in the last 9:35 minutes, four from action, including the last two inside the final minutes.

The hosts were 11-10 up with a minute remaining, however, Fatovic’s fantastic blast 47 seconds from time, then an astonishing lob with 0:03 on the clock gave the victory to the Olympic silver medallists.

Next day they were unable to withstand the pressure from the Spaniards, and Fatovic couldn’t repeat his heroics, as he was fouled out as early as the second period, so they faced Hungary for the bronze.

Hungary claim the only shootout win in the World Cup season

The bronze medal game was an awesome clash, with twists and turns, as at one point the Croats were 6-8 up, but the Magyars hit back with a 5-1 run.

They netted three spectacular action goals, still, the Croats played their extras really well and climbed back to 12-12, then again, after 14-12, they could kill three man-downs and put away their last two six on fives.

It was shootout time – interestingly, it was the first time in the entire men’s World Cup competition, including both divisions, that the decision was left to the penalties (the previous majors saw 2-3 shootouts, if not more).

Though Hungary left Soma Vogel at home, like in January, they could rely on the giant arms of Kristof Csoma, who delivered two stops, while the Magyar shooters all beat Bijac, who couldn’t repeat his Champions League magic when he stopped five penalties in total in Piraeus when Jadran upended Olympiacos.

It was the first medal for the Hungarians since Fukuoka 2023, after they failed to reach the podium in the three majors held in 2024 (lost both bronze medal matches at the Europeans and at the Olympics and were dropped to the 7th place at the Doha Worlds).

At the same time, Croatia’s great run of making all finals last year and landing silver medals in Zagreb and Paris and bagging gold in Doha came to an end in Podgorica.

Aguirre’s 16 saves made the difference

In the final, Greece took a flying start and led 4-2 after eight minutes, before Spain geared up and scored six goals in the next quarter to bring the match back to even by half-time.

Again, it was goalkeeping which proved to be the decisive factor. This new, offensive style of water polo barely lets a goalie catch a wave, or shut out the opponents for long phases, so a couple of saves may put one team on the winning track.

Just like Unai Aguirre did in the third period. Konstantinos Genidounias sent the Greeks ahead after 25 seconds, then they couldn’t beat the Spanish goalie in the next five minutes, while Spain staged a 4-0 rush and led 9-12.

The Greeks could never really recover from this – they tried hard, however, after 11-12, the Spanish responded with two hits in 67 seconds and an Aguirre save in a man-down in between.

The Greeks tried to intensify the pressure, but Aguirre did a tremendous job. At the end, the shots on goal stood at 30-22, but Aguirre delivered 16 saves, while the Greek goalies had six combined and this decided the title.

At 12-15, when Greece attempted a desperate seven on six heading into the last two minutes, Aguirre made his last save and scored a full-court goal to close down the contest.

Spain won the World Cup again after 2023, while the Greeks got the silver. It was another lost final for this team after Tokyo 2021 and Fukuoka 2023 – indeed, the men’s team are yet to experience the ultimate feeling of stepping on top of the podium at a major tournament.

Now, water polo action returns to club competitions as the hunt for the most prestigious European trophies will reach its climax in the coming weeks and the play-offs are also on in the respective domestic leagues.

The next big event for the national teams are the World Aquatics Championships in July in Singapore. Europe provides half of that field in the men’s tournament – Serbia and Croatia qualified from the Olympics, Spain, Greece and Hungary from this World Cup, while Italy, Montenegro and Romania via the 2024 Europeans.

Men’s World Cup Final – rankings

1. Spain, 2. Greece, 3. Hungary, 4. Croatia, 5. Montenegro, 6. Netherlands, 7. Germany, 8. Japan

Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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