They made it inside Europe’s top 10 in 2022, so is it possible that the upwards trajectory of the Netherlands’ men’s team in recent years can add another top 10 position at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025?

While the Netherlands' women's team are well-known for their exploits; a World or European Championship medal every year from 2015 to 2019 and three top-five Olympic Games finishes in a row (2016, 2020, 2024), the men's side are not at that level. Yet.

But they are making giant steps towards it.

Since their debut on the continental scene (2020, 17th), and then return to world action (2023, 14th) for the first time since 1961, the ‘Oranje’ have looked right at home on the men’s international scene, despite their lack of competition experience, further confirming their strength with a 12th place-ranking at the EHF EURO 2024.

This, in part, is thanks to their globally-recognised talented playing duo of centre back Luc Steins and right back Kay Smits, combined with legendary player and now coach, Staffan Olsson.

Paris Saint-Germain player Steins was named as the All-Star centre back of the EHF EURO 2022, adding to his MVP awards in the Starligue, the French first league, for his performances with the cub in 2021 and 2022, while Smits is an IHF Super Globe (2021, 22) and EHF Champions League (2023) winner with German side SC Magdeburg, since moving to SG Flensburg-Handewitt.

Smits – who played alongside Steins at Limburg Lions in the Netherlands at the beginning of their careers – will return to national team action after missing the EHF EURO 2024 due to issues relating to an inflamed heart muscle.

But it is a well-known problem in team sports that having key individuals does not always bring success – the collective is what is important.

And Olsson, along with the humble nature of his squad – including that of Steins and Smits – has found that right mix of individual brilliance, combined with hard work towards the team itself.

This is exemplified by the longevity of the squad, a number of whom have more than 100 appearances in orange, including Steins, and captain Bobby Schagen.

They did not qualify directly two years ago for the world championship, having lost their qualification play-off against Portugal, but were awarded a wild card by the IHF due to their impressive performance on the continental level.

And it was fitting that Schagen – on his birthday – scored their first men’s world championship goal for 62 years, when they beat Argentina (29:19) to record a historic first-ever win at an IHF Men's World Championship in their opener in Krakow.

They followed it up with a win against 2025 group opponents North Macedonia (34:24) and a tight 26:27 loss to Norway. Their main round campaign featured two losses (26:33 vs Germany, 30:32 vs Serbia) and victory over Qatar, but it was not enough to secure a last eight spot.

Swedish playing legend Staffan Olsson took over the reigns of the team in August 2022 and has a strong track record, having been coach at both club level (with Hammarby, from 2005-2011 and PSG as assistant from 2015-18) and guiding the country of his birth, Sweden, to Olympic Games silver in a period stretching from 2008-2016).

But it is a player he is best known, one of the top right backs in the history of the sport, representing Sweden as a player in 357 games, scoring 852 goals, winning four European titles plus the IHF Men’s World Championship twice, in 1990 and 1999.

“My hopes are that we can show that we have developed, that we will get even closer to the top teams and that we will be more mentally and physically prepared for a long and tough tournament,” said Olsson to ihf.info ahead of their trip to Croatia.

“Our first goal is to make it to the main round and then we'll see what our conditions look like.”

Like fellow preliminary group opponents in Croatia, North Macedonia, Ollson’s side had to come from behind in their two-legged European qualification play-off against Greece. The first leg, in Greece saw a 27:31 loss, but a strong first half in Eindhoven in the second leg ensured a 16:10 half-time break, and with the teams equal in the second period, the Dutch took a 31:25 win and 58:56 overall win.

“Making it to a final tournament is still very nice, because we weren’t there for many years before and it is nice and important that our young talents can show themselves on a big stage,” said Netherlands’ captain Bobby Schagen to ihf.info.

“We also enjoy playing in Croatia. We've been in Scandinavia a lot in the past and it's nice to play in Croatia as well, a country with a great handball history and handball culture. In handball, you never know what can happen, but it is clear that we are not a favourite for a medal.

“Our goal should be to make it to the main round and from there see what is possible towards the quarter-finals. We are a very close team that works together a lot, even off the court. I think that also shows in the way we play handball; we fight and compete for each other and also try to entertain the public by showing fast, creative and attractive handball.”

In November, the Dutch – without Luc Steins – played two 2026 European Qualification matches, against Ukraine and Kosovo. A 40:39, high-scoring win at home against the Ukrainians secured their first qualification points, with one more coming a few days later, after a 33:33 draw in Kosovo.

Their final preparation will see the Netherlands travel to Switzerland at the beginning of January (4 to 7) for a training camp, including a friendly match. They then return home to the High Performance Centre in Papendal on the outskirts of Arnhem in eastern Netherlands before heading to Croatia.

“We look at this tournament match-by-match,” added Jeroen Bijl, Interim Technical Director, Dutch Handball Federation to ihf.info. “We are positive and looking forward to a great tournament. Obviously, we hope to make it to the main round, and then we will see how far we get.”

Coach: Staffan Ollson

Key players: Luc Steins (centre back), Kay Smits (right back), Dani Baijens (left back)

Qualification for CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: European Qualification - phase 2 (58:56 against Greece)

History in competition: 1961: 11th, 2023: 14th

Group at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: Group D (Guinea, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Hungary)