Handball World Cup co-hosts Croatia will have to do without their captain for the rest of the tournament. For the 36-year-old, it could be the bitter end to his international career.
Drama about Domagoj Duvnjak: For the leader of Croatia’s handball players, the World Cup in his own country has ended prematurely. The 36-year-old injured his calf in the second group game against Argentina on Friday and can no longer play Tournament events intervention.
The THW Kiel backcourt player had announced before the World Cup that the finals in Denmark, Croatia and Norway would be his last appearance in the national jersey at a major tournament. The Croatian association announced that Igor Karacic will be added to the squad to replace Duvnjak.
“It’s terrible when a player gets injured, especially a captain and a legend like Duvnjak,” said Ivan Martinovic from Bundesliga club Rhein-Neckar Löwen after the 33:18 win against Argentina. Croatia’s national coach Dagur Sigurdsson, who led Germany to European Championship triumph in 2016, spoke of a “bittersweet victory because of Duvnjak’s injury.”
Bitter déjà vu for Duvnjak
Duvnjak is experiencing bitter déjà vu: a calf injury in front of his own audience had already stopped the backcourt player early at the Croatian home European Championships in 2018.
Duvnjak, now 36 years old, is Croatia’s record national player and record goalscorer, winning a total of seven medals at World and European Championships and the Olympic Games. Only gold was denied him. He has been playing in the Bundesliga since 2009. In December, the 2013 world handball player extended his contract with THW Kiel, with whom he became champion, cup winner and Champions League winner, until 2026.