Brazil's new star aims to fulfil Olympic dream

As handball is constantly reshuffling and adding more speed into its repertoire, some teams are still producing tall backs, true sharpshooters, who can be unstoppable at times. One of these teams is Brazil, where handball is getting more and more popular, with more and more players making the switch to Europe, where they are featuring for their club teams.

At 2.02m tall and with an outrageous powerful shot, Bryan Hugo Monte da Silva is one of the next in line for becoming one of the best left backs in the world, after the 21-year-old Brazil player went on the fast track over the past year and a half.

Last January, he made his debut at a major international competition at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship, scoring 17 goals for Brazil, which finished on the 17th place in the standings. A few months later, Monte da Silva was his team’s top scorer at the 2023 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship, with 39 goals for the 16th placed Brazil.

His potential was also seen by Montpellier HB, one of the powerhouses in European handball, as the French side invested their trust into the Brazilian left back, who made his debut in the EHF Champions League Men this season, scoring 62 goals, more than stars like Ludovic Fabregas, Alex Dujshebaev or Szymon Sicko.

“Handball was always a sport I liked, and I was a bit lucky with it. I started playing in my school in my home town, then went to a club in Sao Paulo, Esporte Clube Pinheiros, and from there my career has been better and better,” said Monte, after Brazil’s wins against Bahrain in the Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournament #1.

Indeed, the towering left back has been a breath of fresh air for an experienced Brazil side, as he was named the hummel Player of the Match after Brazil’s 25:24 win, after scoring three goals and putting another three assists under his name in a crucial and crunch match, with the lack of experience never to be seen in his play.

After he had added five more goals in the match against Slovenia, it was clear that he is here to stay, extending his run of excellent form proven at club level, where he scored 10 goals in early March against Barcelona, in an improbable 37:34 win for Montpellier against the Spanish giants in the last round of the group phase of the EHF Champions League Men.

However, donning his national team shirt means the world to Monte, which was described by his current club coach, the legendary Patrice Canayer, as “a player with bags of potential, who can be one of the best players in the world.”

Still a raw product, but with a huge upside, Monte da Silva can be a leader for the national team, but right now he is grounded and is just enjoying life as it is, being sometimes the understudy of experienced left back Haniel Langaro.

“It is an amazing feeling to play for Brazil and representing the country and taking this shirt on. It is huge, it is a dream, something I have only dreamt as a kid to do, especially in the sport that I like so much. This is hugely important for me,” says Monte da Silva.

The Brazil left back has become more and more important in the past year, as coach Marcus Oliveira has increased the responsibility placed on his shoulders, and the 21-year-old left back is currently Brazil’s best scorer in the Olympic Qualification Tournament #1 in Granollers, with eight goals.

But Brazil face a do-or-die match against Spain, facing a must-win scenario against the hosts, in the last match in Granollers, and Monte da Silva will surely be a crucial player for Brazil, were the South American side to challenge for a place at Paris 2024.

“I am incredibly honoured to be here and represent Brazil. Qualifying for the Olympics is huge for any player, we have been dreaming about this and talking that we can do this. Of course, it is difficult, because we faced some strong teams, but we are doing everything to keep the dream alive,” says the Brazil left back.

“I was watching the Olympic Games in Rio, in 2016, and I was thinking of what would it take to be there once, therefore now, that I have that chance, I hope we will qualify.”

With his career only starting, Monte da Silva might have his first chance now. But with the promise and the quality he has shown so far, it would take a lot not to believe that this might be only the first time when Brazil can count on a future star to create something on the court to help their cause.