Back with a bang! It is the sheer enthusiasm and passion that brought Portugal back to be among the best teams in the world – and now, they are living the dream.

In January 2020, Portugal were making their comeback at the Men’s EHF EURO, participating for the first time in 14 years. They took everyone by surprise, finishing sixth and handing hosts Sweden one of their worst losses in recent handball history (25:35).

In just under five years since Paulo Pereira’s appointment, Portugal shapeshifted from an also-ran to a powerhouse in European handball, with big ambitions and great talents.

So what is the story behind this huge change?

“I think that the emphasis was changed in our Federation to try and do something good, rather than just sit and wait. People were hired, talents were discovered and we grew step by step,” said Pereira, who plied his trade in the Portuguese League at FC Porto, then in Spain, Tunisia, Angola and also in Romania, where he won the Men’s EHF Challenge Cup with CSM Bucuresti in 2019.

Their comeback at the IHF Men’s World Championship has also been nothing short of spectacular. With a dazzling defence, a great goalkeeper in Alfredo Quintana and creative and powerful backs in Andre Gomes and Miguel Martins, Portugal beat Iceland 25:23, paving the way to a main round berth.

For a team that is making a comeback at the World Championship after a 14-year absence, they are remarkable.

“I have told it countless times, we are able to beat any team in the world, if we play at our best level. We proved that time and time again. But there is one trick, though, we must stay cool-headed and humble,” added Pereira.

Winning against France at the EHF EURO 2020 really flipped a switch for Portugal, who are now more confident than ever.

Yet, no champion is born in one year and Pereira had to find the perfect pieces of the puzzle for Portugal to go full speed.

“We needed to build from the ground up, so we tried to beef up our junior and youth teams. The idea is to help players grow in the same environment as the senior team. So, all those teams have the same principles. When the players are making the step on the big stage, they know what to expect, because they have the experience from these younger sides,” said Pereira.

The plan worked wonders, as they finished fourth at the 2019 IHF Men’s Junior (U21) World Championship, beating Germany, Slovenia and Hungary, and also ranked fourth at the Men’s Youth (U19) World Championship that year, snatching wins against Germany, France, Serbia and Iceland.

Players like 23-year-old centre back Miguel Martins, who scored six goals against Iceland, and 22-year-old left back Andre Gomes, who added four, have been touted as the next big stars in Portuguese handball, having already impressed in the junior and youth sides – now, they are ready to make a splash on the big stage.

However, Portugal also had a problem in developing players. While Martins and Gomes are undoubtedly fantastic prospects, many of the up-and-coming players simply did not have the height needed to build a competitive defence.

Therefore, the next piece of the puzzle was convincing players who were plying their trade in the Portuguese domestic league, but did not have Portuguese citizenship, to apply for it.

Players like goalkeeper Alfredo Quintana, defender Victor Iturriza or line player Alexis Borges, all of whom were born in Cuba, signed up and now form the core of the Portuguese defence, a physical unit, who remains the foundation of the Portuguese success.

With the puzzle completed, Pereira was now in charge of a tight-knit team, having all the qualities to compete at the highest level. The only missing ingredient?

“The development has been big, but here it is not only about handball. It is about thinking and working as a team. From my point of view, the psychological aspect of this game is the most important. Everyone can play well. But you must tap those buttons, to wire the players in a way that speaks volumes to them. This is also my job,” said the Portuguese coach.

With their sights firmly set for a quarter-final place, Portugal have already made the first step to glory after their win against Iceland. But can they do more?

“Of course we can. I mean, I have said it before and I will say it again. We can beat any other team in this competition. The gold medal? Sure, it is possible. But I would like to stay grounded and focus on the task at hand. On the next games. We have to dream big if we want to achieve big things. However, it is always up to us,” concluded Pereira.

While football is still king in Portugal, fans have also shifted to handball, after FC Porto’s results in the EHF Champions League Men and the national team’s achievements in the last two years.

Good results are key for Portugal to win over more fans and Pereira’s squad’s mission is to deliver at Egypt 2021. 

For Portugal it is not an exception anymore to be at major international competitions. They are here to stay and their results in the last two years prove that.

Photos: Portuguese Handball Federation, Egypt 2021