Since 1991, Brazil have not missed a single edition of the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, with North Macedonia 2024 being their 16th appearance in a row in the world handball flagship competition.

But while the senior team has won the title at the 2013 IHF Women’s World Championship and has also made several appearances in the quarter-finals, the junior side has been somehow lagging behind, securing top-10 places only in 2005 and 2008, when they finished ninth.

Brazil are coming after their worst finish in history in the competition, the 22nd place at Slovenia 2022, when they failed to make the main round and will be underdogs in Group A at North Macedonia 2024 too, behind Romania and the Netherlands, which look poised to make it to the main round.

But with vasts amount of talent and a different handball style, Brazil can always punish a team or two, if they are not taken seriously and this is exactly what the South American side will try to pull off here.

Yet Brazil are still to convince with this generation, as they finished second at the 2023 South and Central American Women's Junior Handball Championship, behind Argentina. Cracks were shown during the semi-final against Uruguay, which they won 25:21, but Argentina totally dominated the final, 28:22, which means that Brazil are in serious need of improvement, as they face even tougher opponents.

Key players: Julia Rodrigues (right back), Eduarda Borges (centre back), Nathaly Soares (left back)
Qualification: 2023 South and Central American Women's Junior Handball Championship: Silver medal
History in the competition: 1991: 15th place, 1993: 13th place, 1995: 13th place, 1997: 12th place, 1999: 12th place, 2001: 13th place, 2003: 15th place, 2005: 9th place, 2008: 9th place, 2010: 12th place, 2012: 12th place, 2014: 15th place, 2016: 11th place, 2018: 11th place, 2022: 22nd place
Group at North Macedonia 2024: Group A (Romania, Netherlands, Brazil, Islamic Republic of Iran)