Austria appoint Iker Romero as men's national team coach

The Austrian Handball Federation (ÖHB) announced Iker Romero as the new coach of the men’s senior national team, replacing the outgoing Aleš Pajovič, who signed with German side SG Flensburg-Handewitt, after six years as the Austria men’s senior national team coach.

Romero, a former left back, who scored 753 goals in 200 matches for the national team, where he became a world champion in 2005, and won the bronze medals at the 2011 IHF Men’s World Championship and at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, will be at his first experience as a national team coach. He is also the second best scorer in the history of the Spain men’s national team.

The former left back had a stellar career as a player, featuring at BM Valladolid, Ademar Leon, Ciudad Real, FC Barcelona and Füchse Berlin, winning the EHF Champions League Men two times with Barcelona.

After his playing career was over in 2015, Romero continued in Germany and served as Antonio Carlos Ortega’s assistant at TSV Hannover-Burgdorf between 2017 and 2021, and after Ortega left for Barcelona, he took over SG BBM Bietigheim, where he spent the last four years.

"Taking over the Austrian national team is a great honor for me. Since our first conversation, all I've been thinking about is the first training session and the first game with the boys. Things are going really well for the national team right now. I'm a system-oriented guy, but I'll keep the things that work well the same. It will be important to give the players their freedom. At the same time, I'll contribute my ideas. I see potential for improvement and development. We'll work on that, and I'll contribute my experience,” said Romero, according to the official website of the Austrian Handball Federation.

Austria have been one of the teams punching above their weight in the last years. At the EHF EURO 2024, they finished eighth, with two wins, three draws and two losses. That enabled Austria to make it to the Olympic Qualification Tournaments, but failed to progress to Paris 2024, due to losses against Germany and Croatia.

At the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, Austria did not have arguably their best player, Nikola Bilyk, due to an injury, and finished on the 17th place, with two wins, two draws and two losses, ending on their best position in 10 years.

"Our shared goal is to continue on the successful path we've chosen. We are convinced that Iker Romero will further develop our team to create many more unique moments for Austrian handball and the fans of the national team. The 2028 Olympics is a dream we would like to realize with the men's team. We are all aware that this is a long and difficult path, but this team has proven to us many times that it can push boundaries and achieve extraordinary things,” said ÖHB President, Markus Plazer.

Romero will serve as both Austria’s coach and Bietigheim’s coach until the summer of 2026, when he is due to take over the Austria position on a full-time basis.

Photo credit: ÖHB/Agentur DIENER/Eva Manhart