Country: Brazil

Coach: Marcus "Tata" Oliveira

Key Players: Maik Santos (Goalkeeper), Andre Soares (Left Wing), Vinicius Teixeira (Line Player) 

Road to Qualification: Winners of the 2016 Men’s Club Handball Pan American Championship

History in Tournament: 1997-2012: DNQ, 2013: 6th, 2014: 6th, 2015: 6th

Overview: 

In Pan America everyone has got used to Esporte Clube Taubate being at the top of every competition they take part in – they are regional and national champions in Brazil and have won the Men’s Club Handball Pan American Championship every year since 2013. This will be the fourth consecutive time they represent the continent in the IHF Super Globe. 

35-year old goalkeeper Maik Santos is Taubate’s leader inside and outside the court. The Brazil national team player knows for a fact that the success the club has tasted in recent years is no matter of luck. “The club always incorporates new players, they sign new athletes to reinforce the team and reach the top in our continent. We won the title four times in a row, it is historical. We are proud to know that our work is well done,” says Santos. 

Taubate could never rank higher than 6th at the IHF Super Globe. For Maik Santos it is now time to dream high, although they will play the EHF Champions League winners KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL) in the quarter-finals:  “They are very strong, they are the favourites and they have players of a really high level but we believe in our work and our development. Without any doubt Taubate will enter the court with a lot of spirit and determination and fight for the chance of winning the game to reach the semi-finals.”

Santos, who ended the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a 29% save rate, is not the only Taubate player to be international with Brazil. 32-year old left wing Andre Soares contributed 23 goals for Brazil to win the Buenos Aires 2016 Pan American Championship and qualify for the next World Championship. Also Vinicius Teixeira, a 28-year old line player, has celebrated titles with the “Verdeamarela” team – for example the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. 

Coach Marcus "Tata" Oliveira will not count with Lucas Candido, a right wing who used to play an essential role for Taubate and has just joined Liga ASOBAL club BM Guadalajara. He was part of the All-Star Team of the last Men’s Club Handball Pan American Championship along with Maik Santos.

Official Website/Social Media:

Follow Esporte Clube Taubate’s handball team on their website, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

IHF Social Media:

Follow the 2016 IHF Super Globe on our website, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.