If one looked closely into the stands of the Craiova Arena, one might spot a familiar figure sitting quietly in the stands. This time, he is not donning a tracksuit, or a team shirt, he is not on the bench, but he supports one team – Czechia.

This time, Filip Jícha, one of the greatest handball players and coaches this sport has ever produced, is just a simple fan, rooting for his daughter, Valéria Jíchová, who plays for Czechia at the 2026 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship.

For nearly two decades, Jícha's name has been synonymous with excellence on the handball court. A towering left-back with a shot as fierce as his competitive spirit, he built a legendary career at clubs like Veszprém, Ciudad Real, and above all, THW Kiel, where he became a club icon both as a player and later as head coach

Jícha was the IHF Male World Player of the Year in 2010, won two EHF Champions League Men titles with THW Kiel in 2010 and 2012, the EHF Cup with TBV Lemgo in 2006, and then three titles in the German Bundesliga as a coach plus the EHF Champions League Men with Kiel.

 

For Czechia, Jícha played for 16 years, between 2000 and 2016, featuring 148 times and scoring 816 goals, including at three editions of the IHF Men’s World Championship – Tunisia 2005, Germany 2007 and Qatar 2015.

At Germany 2007, he was the second best scorer, with 57 goals, just behind Iceland’s Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson, who scored 66 goals.

But now, he’s just a fan in the stands.

“I’ve been a spectator only once before, at a youth World or European Championship. I’ve always loved watching young players and how much they love handball. It doesn’t matter whether it’s men or women - it’s always great to see. And when your daughter is there, it becomes even more emotional. You’re much more invested, of course, because you wish her and her team all the best. But in general, it’s just amazing to see the dedication young people have for the game. That makes me happy,” said Jícha.

The 44-year-old star has been enjoying Czechia’s matches in Craiova, as the European team is trying to secure a place in the main round of the competition, which would automatically see them finish in the top-16 of the final standings.

So far, Czechia has won their maiden match, 42:16 against Mexico, but in the second one, they lost against the Republic of Korea, after a tough encounter, which went down to the wire. While Czechia did lead, 17:13, after 38 minutes, their attack did not produce as much as needed in the last 20 minutes of the match and they conceded a painful loss, 23:24.

 

 

 

 

Vezi această postare pe Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O postare distribuită de IHF (@ihfworldhandball)

But Jícha is upbeat and finds the positives despite the results, as he was truly impressed by the passion for the game showed by the teams.

“When I was young, I didn’t dream of becoming the best handball player in the world. I just wanted to have fun and play. That ambition came later. But when I watch young players today, the emotions they bring into the game and into their teams are incredible. Handball has made a huge step forward as a team sport because of that emotional connection within teams,” says the former Czechia player.

“That’s something we didn’t see as much when I was young. For example, I watched Egypt against France yesterday, and the Egyptian player showed so much passion—after every good action, after the win. That level of emotion is fantastic to see. I’m really happy to witness how the sport has evolved. Young players are dreaming of careers, of connection, of success—and in many ways, they’ve already taken huge steps forward.”

 

Watching his daughter play at the 2026 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship is a full-circle moment that even Jícha himself couldn't have predicted. 

Valéria didn't grow up dreaming of following in her father's footsteps. In fact, for years, she resisted the sport altogether. Basketball came first, then dance, before a simple afternoon shooting balls in the family garden, alongsider her brother, who is also a handball player, sparked something unexpected. She wanted to shoot. She wanted to play. And once she started, she never looked back.

“It’s actually a funny story. At the beginning, she didn’t like handball at all. When I was still playing professionally, she felt like handball was taking her dad away from her. She started with basketball when we were in Barcelona. Later, when we moved back to Kiel, she wanted to continue, but there wasn’t a club available. So she tried other things like dancing. Then one day, we were playing in the garden, we had a goal there for our son, who also plays handball. She suddenly said, “I want to throw as well.” We said, “Okay, try it.” And from that moment on, she never stopped. That was about four years ago,” says Jícha.

“Now she’s here with the national team at the World Championship. She’s very passionate, very hardworking. She knows she started later than others, so she’s really committed to catching up. I never pushed her. I’m just a supportive parent. That makes me even more proud - how she found her own love for the sport. Now it’s not just my sport anymore, it’s hers too. That’s great for our family.”

But is Valéria looking for advice from her father?

 

“As a parent, I’m there if my kids ask for help. If they want advice, I’m happy to give it. I have knowledge of handball, so I can support her if she needs it, any time. But I’m not the kind of parent who pushes. I don’t tell her what she has to do. I just say: if you need help, I’m here. She comes to me sometimes and asks, “Can we go train?” And of course, I’m happy to do that,” says the Czech coach.

“Yes, I have to admit that I’m very proud that she chose handball. But if she had stayed with basketball or dancing, I would feel the same way. Right now, it’s my environment, and I’m happy to share that with her. That makes me tremendously happy.”

But while Czechia youth women’s team is here, the thoughts are moving to the future, with the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship on the horison, with Germany hosting the biggest handball competition in the world.

Jícha knows a thing or two about Germany, having played 10 years for Lemgo and Kiel and then coaching Kiel between 2018 and 2026, first as an assistant and then as a head coach since 2019.

“It’s going to be huge. Germany is crazy about handball, at every level. Not just elite competitions, but also youth tournaments. The arenas are full, even for young players.A World Championship in a country like Germany is something special. Every player and every fan should experience it. The atmosphere, the sold-out arenas, the broadcast images, it will all be top quality. I’m absolutely certain about that,” concludes Jícha.

“I’m really looking forward to it. Whether I’m there as a coach, an advisor, or just a fan or expert, I’ll definitely be involved in some way.”