#Croatia2023 – Spain is the new world champion

The younger junior national team of Spain is the new world champion. In the grand final, they beat Denmark 28:23, and became the world champion for the first time. Denmark suffered their first defeat in its fourth final.

The Spaniards opened the final as in their best dreams. They led 4:0. Denmark needed more than 4 minutes to reach the first goal. The moment they scored it, the final began for them. Already in the 10th minute we had the first tie at 7:7. The goalkeepers on both sides were fantastic. Just like the defenses, Spain with 5-1, Denmark 6-0. The pace was incredible. Although it was played quite tightly, we only saw one disqualification on each side.

From a 4:0 loss to an 8:9 lead, Denmark needed 14 minutes. That was just a confirmation of the strength and character of that young team. Until the end of the first part, everyone had their own minutes and leads, and in the last seconds, the Danes scored and took the extra goal at halftime (13:14).

Nothing major has changed in the second half either. In the 36th minute, Denmark took the lead with a two-goal difference (15:17). After the defense from a 7-meter shot, the Spaniards responded with four goals in a row and took the lead 18:17. It was their second longest streak. At the same time, they had fewer players for a short period.

The crisis in the game of the Danes lasted nine minutes. They passed it and returned to their rhythm again. In the 48th minute, we had a new tie. Third in the second half. And then the fourth at 23:23. Eight minutes before the end, Denmark remains with one player less. And Spain uses it abundantly. They score two goals and put Denmark in big trouble. Fatigue is increasingly visible on the players’ faces, no matter how much the coaches rotate the teams.

Four and a half minutes before the end, Denmark is behind by three goals (26:23) and must hurry with the realization of the attack. And that often brings mistakes. Especially when the most important player like F. Emil Pedersen is isolated from the attack. The Spaniards were in no hurry. They were just wasting time and firing under the threat of a passive attack. They did not find a way to the Danish net until entering the last minute. Then they scored and Denmark surrendered. It ended 28:23. Spain became the world champion for the first time. With 7 goals, Ferran Castillo Oliveras was the best among the winners. For Denmark, the first name was Fredrik Emil Pedersen with 6 goals.