Dark horses Slovenia enjoy first Olympics semi-final: "We are not here to be fourth"
08 Aug. 2024
Slovenia have always been the perfect underdogs in the last three decades, since emerging on the big stage, after the country gained independence in the early 1990s.
Talented, with grit and determination, Slovenia have first showed that they can be a force to be reckoned with at the EHF EURO 2004, when they secured their maiden medal in a competition, the silver.
Then, at the 2017 IHF Men’s World Championship, they added a bronze, after finishing fourth in 2013 in the world handball flagship competition. Since then, they have navigated between the fourth and the 10th place in major international competitions, making them a team that had the potential, but needed a boost.
That boost came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, when Slovenia showed why they are a team to be reckoned with. Four wins, including a 33:28 one in the quarter-finals against Norway, lifted them to their first-ever semi-finals berth at the Olympics. An astonishing feature for a nation with a population of only two million.
“It is amazing, I cannot describe this feeling. We deserved this because we did our best in every game. We were on 100% and had this energy from the beginning. The whole time was fighting one for another and we could feel it on the field,” said Slovenia’s centre back, Miha Zarabec, after the game in the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille.
Zarabec is one of the most experienced Slovenia players, having made his debut for the national team in 2015, nearly 10 years. A diminutive centre back, he is hugely creative and can be unstoppable at times. He also has a connection with Slovenia’s current coach, Uroš Zorman, himself a former centre back, who played with Zarabec for two years in the Slovenia team before the international retirement.
"In the game, after the game, before the game, even when you're not around handball, he is talking about it. He is an amazing guy. You can see how emotional he is and how much he puts into trying to get the best out of this team,” adds Zarabec.
But going to the Olympics for the fourth time in history has not been easy for Slovenia. In fact, even securing their ticket for Paris was somewhat of a challenge in itself for the European side.
First, they finished sixth at the EHF EURO 2024, showing clear signs of improvement. Then, despite a 22:32 loss against Spain in the Olympic Qualification Tournament #1 in Granollers, Spain, Slovenia finished second and clinched their ticket.
And now, they are in the semi-finals at Paris 2024, one of the biggest performances in the history of Slovenian handball.
"For most of us it is the last chance to achieve something with the national team and we have this in our head. This is why we give 10% more than usual. It is amazing but we are not here by accident. Now we need to continue this and give everything against Denmark in the semi-final," says Zarabec.
"To represent this country with two million people, when we can feel that the whole country is breathing for us. We feel this positive energy from home. It’s also easier to play then. We need to bring something for them also."
With four wins in six matches at Paris 2024, Slovenia have tied their number of wins from Tokyo 2020 and have the same number of wins as they did in their previous two Olympics appearances, from Sydney 2000 and Athens 2024 combined. But at Tokyo, the European side conceded a loss in the quarter-finals and were eliminated.
Now, they face reigning world champions Denmark in the semi-finals, which have a six match winning streak entering the final weekend at the Olympics in Lille.
With younger player like Aleks Vlah and Blaz Janc, Slovenia’s top scorers at Paris 2024, the future looks set for the team to compete at the highest level in the near future. But for players like Zarabec, Jure Dolenec or Dean Bombac, it is likely the last chance to win a medal at the Olympics.
"Each of us knows that this opportunity doesn't come every year. We need to grab it. In our head we have this wish to win something. We are not here to be fourth. We need to beat Denmark somehow. They are an amazing team, but we are also in semifinals, we need to show this," says the centre back.