Despite a joint, worst-ever ranking of sixth at the 2022 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championships in Greece, the Brazil women’s team remain legends of the sport, winners of the most gold medals in a world championship (3) and total (7) having been ever-presents since making their debut at the first-ever world championship in 2004 when they also finished in sixth spot.

While Germany are now clearly the global force in the women’s game, having remained unbeaten at both the 2022 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship and The World Games 2022, plus the 2023 European Championships, Brazil should never be underestimated, despite their team slowly changing in recent years.

Big names such as Nathalie Sena (39 years old), Cynthia Piquet (38), Renata Santiago (38) and Patricia Scheppa (36) – so crucial in the success of the team over the decades – are nearing the end of their careers with youngsters such as Caroline Pires Militao (22) and Beatriz Spena (19) coming into the squad in recent years with all six named in the provisional 17-woman squad for China 2024.

But such is the continued high-level performance from Scheppa, Santiago and Sena that they – along with Pires Militao – have been named as ambassadors for the sport and will be part of the squads for the ‘IHF Beach Handball Showcase’ event on the fringes of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

At Greece 2022, a tough preliminary group stage saw them lose 0-2 to eventual winners Germany, before beating Norway and then Hungary to progress through to the main round. In the second round it was back to business as they won all three games – against eventual bronze medallists Netherlands along with Uruguay and Argentina.

But they were undone by Spain in the last-eight, losing their quarter-final 0-2. This meant a move into the 5-8 placement round which saw them defeat Argentina again (2-0) but then lose to Denmark in the 5/6 placement match which, at the time, had qualification through to the ANOC World Beach Games riding on it, although the event would later be cancelled.

Brazil’s women also missed out on The World Games a few weeks after Greece 2022, having lost their continental championship title to Argentina a few months earlier in a 10:11 shoot-out loss.

In some way it marked a wake-up call for the team in green and gold as it would be the first The World Games they did not appear at since Beach Handball made its debut at the event back in 2001.

And in 2024 they have been firing on all cylinders.

First, they reasserted their continental authority in April, defeating Argentina in the final of the continental event held in Paraguay, with both teams qualifying through to China 2024.

Despite a hiccup in their final group match of the preliminary stage, they beat Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay 2:0 and faced Argentina in a match with no effect on the final outcome as both teams had already qualified for the final. While Argentina won 7:6 via shoot-out in that dead rubber, they eased to a 21:12, 24:20, 2-0 victory in the final.

And just a few weeks after that they put on a show on home sand at Stage 1 of the 2024 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour (BHGT) in Maricá, Brazil. 

Brazil dominated, winning preliminary games 2-0 against Puerto Rico, Uruguay and the USA and 2-1 against Portugal (SO 7:4) and Argentina (SO 9:6). Portugal were dispatched with ease in the semi-final 2-0 (24:12, 26:18) and then Argentina seen off again, this time more clearly, 2-0 (20:14, 19:17). 

In China, they have been drawn in to what has been called the ‘Group of Death’, along with Germany, Greece and Puerto Rico. 

With the top three teams qualifying through to the main round, it is the Puerto Rican side who will most likely ‘die’ as the world championship debutants will face three teams who have won four of the last five titles (Germany 2022, Greece 2018, Brazil 2012, 2014).

“Group D reflects how strong the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship will be,” said left wing Nathalie Sena to ihf.info.

“Puerto Rico, we don't know their style of play as we've never played against them. I know the Greek team, as we have played some EHF European Beach Tour (ebt) games together. They are my great friends and they are currently evolving.

“For me, Greece and Germany are great teams and we will play incredible games against them. We are preparing for this great challenge.”

Coach: Vinícius Carlos de Oliveira 

Key Players: Nathalie Sena, Renata Santiago, Patricia Scheppa, Carolina Pires Militao, Arianne Demetrio

Qualification information: 2024 SCAHC Women’s Beach Handball Championships – 1st

History in Tournament: 2004: 6th, 2006: 1st, 2008: 3rd, 2010: 3rd, 2012: 1st, 2014: 1st, 2016: 2nd, 2018: 3rd, 2022: 6th

Group at China 2024: Group D: Germany, Brazil, Greece, Puerto Rico