Croatia won its third world championship crown, downing Italy in a thrilling penalty shootout after the match was closed at 11-11. Croatia went 4-2 in the penalties for a 15-13 victory. European champion Spain beat Doha sensation France 14-10 in the battle for bronze. Greece and Serbia — who played the Tokyo 2020 Olympic final — clashed for fifth, Greece winning 15-11, and outgoing champion Hungary beat Montenegro for seventh, needing a penalty shootout to win 18-16 after the match was tied at 14-14.
How They Played
In the Classification 1-2 gold-medal final, Croatia needed a penalty shootout to be Italy, finishing the match at 11-11 and winning in penalties 4-2 for 15-13.
In the Classification 3-4, Spain won its 10th medal at this competition, defeating France 14-10.
In the Classification 7-8 play-off, Hungary scored a last-gasp goal to secure a shootout and won against Montenegro 18-16 (FT: 14-14. Pens: 2-4).
Awards
Most Valuable Player:
Francesco di Fulvio (ITA)
Best Goalkeeper:
Marco del Lungo (ITA)
Highest Goal-Scorer:
Thomas Vernoux (FRA) — 26
Media All Star Team:
Goalkeeper:
Marco del Lungo (ITA)
Centre Forward:
Konstantinos Kakaris (GRE)
Field Players:
Francesco di Fulvio (ITA)
Alvaro Granados (ESP)
Konstantin Kharkov (CRO)
Thomas Vernoux (FRA)
Gergo Zalanki (HUN)
Match Reports
Classification 1-2 — Gold Medal
Match 48. Italy 13 Croatia 15 in penalty shootout (FT: 11-11. Pens 2-4)
Croatia came from behind to level at 11 and go to a penalty shootout — the third in the last three years — and won the shots 4-2 to take a third world crown.
Italy was the historical champion of the two, although Croatia has been playing as an independent nation for a shorter period than Italy.
Italy has four crowns — 2019, 2011, 1994 and 1978 — and lost finals in 2022, 2003 and 1986. It has also won bronze in 1975 and lost four bronze finals, so it knows how to play at this level.
Croatia had two titles before tonight — 2017 and 2007 — a silver from 2015 and five bronzes, all since being an independent nation in 2003.
That meant both nations had eight finals appearances each at this level. Now it is nine.
At last month’s European championships in Croatia, the host was beaten in the final by Spain 11-10. Italy took bronze with a five-goal win over Hungary.
Tonight in Doha, Croatia went one step forward from Zagreb and earned the respect of a nation with such a rich heritage in the sport.
The start of the match was like all of Italy against Konstantin Kharkov of Croatia. He threw the first goal and the second for Croatia as Francesco di Fulvio, from the top, Nicholas Presciutti with a skip and Andrea Fondelli from the left for 3-2.
Kharkov fired a sublime low, sweeping shot for 3-2 to start the second period for 3-3. Di Fulvio smashed in a six-metre free throw goal and after a timeout, Jerko Marinic Kragic was unleashed on the Italians. He scored on extra and then from the penalty line for the first Croatian lead at 5-4. Presciutti hit his second with a power shot from the top right for 5-5 at 0:31, the halftime score.
Kharkov was at it again in the third, starting the scoring again. Fondelli responded with a pair — two penalty goals — for 7-6. Josip Vrlic climbed high on extra and smothered the goalmouth to score at 4:55. It was more than four minutes later that Rino Buric finished off a three-on-two attack. Italy tried to level in the dying seconds, only for Croatian goalkeeper Marko Bijac to deny the Italians for the seventh time in the match.
The fourth quarter started and, yes, Kharkov shot, but it was punched back, the first time he has not started the scoring on the first attack of a quarter in the final. Italy went on attack and the shot rebounded for Luca Marziali to backhand into goal for 8-8. Matias Biljaka converted extra for Croatia; Fondelli slipped one in from the most acute of angles; Marinic Kragic fired a missile from eight metres; Francesco Condemi converted extra and Fondelli made his fourth and third from the penalty line.
Croatia earned an ejection and took the timeout at 1:16. Marinic Kragic’s shot was blocked. Italy wasted the ball at 0:29; Bijac came up and plonked himself in front of goal. Just window dressing as Buric cranked up and speared the equaliser (above) into goal with five seconds left on the clock. Italy took the timeout. Fondelli’s shot was smothered by Bijac and we were off to a gold-medal final shootout for the third consecutive year.
Croatia shot first and the first two went in. Then Loren Fatovic had his shot blocked by Marco Del Lungo. Presciutti and Buric scored, then Echenique hit the bar and Kharkov converted for 14-13 Croatia. Di Fulvio had his shot saved by Mate Anic and this left Marko Zuvela with the task of taking the world championship, which he did. Croatia had a third crown and the first since 2017.
Match Heroes
Kharkov scored four goals as he ended the Doha tournament with 13 goals, two down on team-mate Jerko Marinic Kragic. Rino Buric (above) scoring his 11th goal. For Italy, Fondelli was the star with his five goals, finishing with the best number on his team —20. Di Fulvio ended with 18.
Turning Point
Neither team as they drew every number to 11. Perhaps Buric’s match-saving goal on extra was where it slightly turned.
Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia converted six from 13 on extra and defended seven of 13. On shooting, Italy was better at 41 to 35 percentage
Bottom Line
Croatia had the better penalty shooters. That’s all, or was it because goalkeeper Bijac was so good?
What They Said
Marco Bijac (CRO) — Captain/Goalkeeper
On a tough way to win a gold medal:
“Yes, of course. We expected a tough game and it was. Italy is an amazing team, but we showed character and I believe at the end of the game we deserved this game.
Francesco di Fulvio (ITA) — Captain/Tournament MVP
On a fine tournament:
“I’m so proud of my team and I want to congratulate everyone from the staff to the players. I want to congratulate Croatia because they are a great team and we are also. We have to be proud of this medal and the medal we won in Zagreb at the European championships one month ago. We have to start thinking about Olympic Games.”
Classification 3-4 — Bronze Medal
Match 47. Spain 14 France 10
Spain made it 10 medals at this level and a third bronze after beating France in what could have been claimed as “lacklustre” amid some brilliant matches. France was denied its first visit to the dais.
France played up to the occasion, but Spain today had the better of the match.
Spain led 4-1 at the quarter and won the second period 5-3 to stretch the margin to five — 9-4.
The third period was squared at two with Alvaro Granados gaining his second and third goals. Thomas Vernoux made his first appearance on the scoring sheet with a blast from eight metres that brought France back to 10-5 down.
Michael Bodegas opened the fourth for France with a close-in shot and Granados made it four and 12-7. Romain Marion Vernoux scored his second with a bouncer. France went to a timeout and eventually Alexandre Bouet squeezed one in from very deep left wing for 12-9. Bernat Sanahuja fired in his third and the gap was four again. There was not going to be a comeback result favouring France as Sanahuja collected his fourth at 1:23 and 14-9. Vernoux registered his second and 26th goal of the tournament for 14-10, the final score.
Match Heroes
Granados (above) and Sanahuja had four goals each for Spain with Granados taking top scorer with 16, five more than captain Felipe Perrone, who scored three today. Vernoux’s pair gave him 26 for Doha and Bouet lifted to second place with 15.
Turning Point
Taking a 4-1 lead in the first period, meant Spain had room to manoeuvre and only let France come back to three after 5-3.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain shot 58 to 38 on percentage, converted five of six extra-man chances and defended five of 11
Bottom Line
Spain is the team of the moment and France is the pretender. Spain is looking for three medals this year and has two already.
What They Said
David Martin (ESP) — Head Coach
On a 10th medal for Spain:
“Another medal is very important for us. It’s hard this game because we arrived here for the gold medal, but the other day we fall in front of a very big team like Italy. It’s very important for us this medal because we wish to finish this tournament with a win. Whether it’s the final or 10th position, it’s very important for us to finish with a win.”
On two medals in two tournaments this year:
“This is very, very difficult. I am proud because the gold medal (winning the Europeans) it was the very first time in the history for Spain. Maybe one dream more, second in the world championships, but for us, we have the mentality to go to every tournament to win. I think this mentality will take the gold medal in Paris. For us, it is important, this mentality.”
Alvaro Granados (ESP) — Four Goals
On did he feel his tournament was good:
“I wouldn’t say it was good. I wish I could have helped much more the other day against Italy. I couldn’t, but as I said before to another journalist, it is an opportunity to grow like a group.”
On how Spain will present in Paris:
“This group deserves to dream about the gold in every competition. We have won that right, to believe that we’re favourites in every competition. This tournament was not so easy. We have still many, many things to grow in, so to take opportunity to grow and we will see.”
Florian Bruzzo (FRA) — Head Coach
On being top four in the world before Paris 2024:
“I don’t think we are top four in the world. In this tournament we play a this level but given that USA, Australia, Greece, you know. This tournament we played well. This is good. What we are waiting for is we want to play for a medal, but the first thing is to qualify in the quarterfinals and then we know that in the quarterfinals it is always one goal, penalty shootouts, so we imagine this.”
On being sixth last year and fourth this year:
“It’s not only about the position at the end of the tournament; it’s all about the quality of the play. We deeply believe it’s about how we play. Six to four. It doesn’t work like this. The quality of the play. We have to work on it. We have to analyse what was good and what we have to do better. That’s it.”
Classification 5-6
Match 46. Greece 15 Serbia 11
Greece finished four up, which was a little flattering, to take fifth place in the competition.
Serbia started with the scoring and quickly went behind 2-1 and 5-2 by the first break
The second quarter was tied at three as goals were traded, starting with Nikolaos Gkillas’ shot for 6-2. Nemanja Ubovic claimed two for Serbia from two metres. Efstathios Kalogeropoulos scored a double for Greece, including a bullet from nine metres.
Alexandros Papanastasiou made it 9-5 at the top of the third as traded goals kept coming with Nikolaos Gkillas scoring his second at 4:16 and 10-6. Djordje Vucinic maintained the exchange and it stopped after him as Radomir Drasovic screamed one in from the top. For 10-8. The trading went for 13 and a half minutes. Greece had a timeout to slow the scoring but Dusan Mandic cracked one in with a second left on the clock for 10-9.
Vlachopoulos, captain today in the absence of Ioannis Fountoulis, went on counter to slip the margin to two at 5:32. Konstantinos Gkiouvetsis made it 12-9 with Drasovic replying . Kakaris for his third goal and two Gkiouvetsis goals had the score at 15-11, the last coming soon after a Strahinja Rasovic strike from the deep left. Greece had fifth place.
Match Heroes
Konstantinos Gkiouvetsis and Konstantinos Kakaris scored three each for Greece. Konstantinos Genidounias was the leading shooter for Greece with 13 goals with Kakaris on 12. Emmanouil Zerdevas made a fine 14 saves in the encounter. Serbia’s Radomir Drasovic scored three with Dusan Mandic claiming two to be the best in Doha with 14 goals.
Turning Point
Really, it was the 2-1 lead Greece took in the first quarter. It never relinquished it and expanded and constricted as the flow of the match occurred.
Stats Don’t Lie
Greece shot at 45 to 35 per cent and converted two from four on extra and defended six from nine.
Bottom Line
Greece was looking for redemption and strung together four quarters of decent water polo. Serbia lacked motivation early and the comeback was too late.
What They Said
Alexandros Papanastasiou (GRE) — Goal Scorer
On the tournament:
“I don’t know, it was a bad tournament. Our goal was always the medals. We were close and in the game against Italy, too. We missed a shot in the last minute. I think we’re not satisfied here. We were not satisfied in Zagreb at European Championships. We have a lot of work to do to be as ready as possible in Paris.”
Emmanouil Zerdevas (GRE) — Goalkeeper/14 Saves
On the Doha matches:
“Our goal was to be in the medals but we ended up fifth, which was the best result in this case. We are a bit sad after these two tournaments, this one in Doha and the one in Zagreb (Europeans). We are waiting for Paris. We will give 100 per cent in the preparation and we will be ready.”
Konstantinos Kakaris (GRE) — Three Goals
On the tournament:
“It was a tough tournament mentally. My opinion is we had a very good game against Italy; we played really good. At the end, for two minutes, we lost the game. OK, we have to be stronger after this and now Paris is in front of us, so we will prepare ourselves and be strong for Paris.”
Petar Jaksic (SRB) — Goal Scorer
On the match
“The tournament we started really good. We won our group, immediately went to quarterfinals; unfortunately, we lost to Croatia. Right, the motivation and everything goes down, so this match is five to eight in the placement. It’s not like playing for the medals. We won the first match against Hungary, so this match was not that good. The defence was not that great. We’re going to take everything we have to focus on for the Olympic Games and that’s what we are going to do right now.”
Classification 7-8
Match 45. Montenegro 16 Hungary 18 in penalty shootout (FT: 14-14. Pens: 2-4)
Hungary and Montenegro can both regard this tournament unlucky with some close results going against them. To get to this match, Montenegro lost in a penalty shootout to Greece and Hungary went down to Serbia 11-10. This became Montenegro’s third shootout and second loss on penalties.
Hungary started the scoring and goals were traded to 3-2. A Marko Mrsic penalty attempt failed and on the next attack Hungarian captain Szilard Jansik scored for 4-2 at 0:11. That should have been it but for Jovan Vujovic who made sure of 4-3 down with a second to spare. World Aquatics men’s water polo athlete of the year for 2023, Gergo Zalanki, scored twice in this period.
The trading game happened in the second quarter, starting with Montenegro and finishing with Montenegro when Vlado Popadic converted a penalty for 6-6. The match had been tied at one, two, four, five and six. Zalanki went on counter for 5-4.
Gergo Fekete opened the third on extra and both teams took a timeout with Montenegro’s successful, thanks to a second goal to Miroslav Perkovic and 7-7. Peter Kovacs netted his second and Zalanki his fourth with a big bang from top right, straight down the line for 9-7. That lead was destroyed by a Stefan Vidovic shot from the left deep wing and Popadic with a redirect off the left-post position for 9-9 at 1:04.
Popadic made in three for him with a six-metre score for 10-9. Zalanki plastered the forehead of goalie Dejan Lazovic on penalty and retained the ball, gaining a second penalty attempt, which Marton Vamos secured for 10-10 — the eighth tie of the clash. Vince Vigvari gained a second goal on extra from right in front and Vujovic dragged in his second for 11-11. Vujovic grabbed two more either side of a Jansik extra-man goal from three metres out and it was 13-12 at 1:17, favouring Montenegro.
Hungary’s extra-man play meant that Vamos just smashed in a left-hander at 0:52 for the equaliser. Montenegro called a timeout and the ploy gave Vasilije Radovic a goal off the left post. Hungary went to a timeout, gained the exclusion with 12 seconds left and the ball landed in the lap of Vigvari, who scored at 0:04 for 14-14. Drasko Brguljan hit the top right corner of the goal, meaning the match went to a shootout.
Hungary went first and was perfect with four while Perkovic and Brguljan could not convert, the last smashing into the crossbar. Hungary won the match 18-16.
Match Heroes
Zalanki with his four goals, sending him to 18 for the championship. Vigvari’s three took him to 11. For Montenegro Vujovic punched in four and Popadic three, which meant he topped the team’s scoring with 11.
Turning Point
There wasn’t one as the match was tied 12 times. Perhaps it was Vigvari’s shot on full time?
Stats Don’t Lie
These were pretty even at 44/47 on shooting and six from eight on extra to Hungary’s eight from 11. Montenegro shot 32 to 30.
Bottom Line
Hungary was the outgoing champion and went with a win, if only for seventh.
What They Said
Gergo Zalanki (HUN) — Player of the Match/Four Goals
On the tournament:
“I’m happy that it’s done, finished, because these last two days was a nightmare. I think anyone who was in the same shoes knows this. It’s very hard to play after we lost in the quarterfinal, so I am happy we are done with… I wanted to say a good game, but it was not a good game. At least we learnt something. We have to learn from this tournament and mentally, physically, start preparing for the Olympics.”
On the experiment of leaving top players home for Europeans helping for Olympics:
“I don’t know. We thought it would help us to win this world championship, as well, but I’m not sure. We need to believe it will help for us. We prepared a lot, especially physically. I hope it will be good for the summer. We will see.”
Vince Vigvari (HUN) — Three Goals
On what he was thinking when he scored the equalising goal to go to the shootout:
“We had to score, from whatever position. I thought it was going to be a shot from position four or five because that’s how they play their man-downs, but it turned out that they went out to block our left-handers and I got the ball and all I knew is I got the shot. It was a good shot. I was happy that it was a goal, so we had a chance to win the game on penalties, which we did. Nothing special, I guess.”
Vladimir Gojkovic (MNE) — Head Coach
On a third penalty shootout in Doha, losing two:
“I think we played five really good matches. We had tough group and eighth final with Romania was hard (12-9) and being on a good level with Serbia and Spain. It showed we can play with these teams. Hungary is world championship winner from last summer and Greece who was second last summer and it has given us some hope that preparation for Paris can see us on the same level.“
Final Rankings
1. Croatia
2. Italy
3. Spain
4. France
5. Greece
6. Serbia
7. Hungary
8. Montenegro
9. United States of America
10. Romania
11. Australia
12. China
13. Japan
14. Brazil
15. South Africa
16. Kazakhstan
Media All Star Team:
Goalkeeper:
Centre Forward:
Field Players: