Enlarge image
Niclas Ekberg made the decision for Sweden with a seven-metre throw
Photo: ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP
Sweden's handball players have become European champions again after 20 years.
In a dramatic final on Sunday in front of 14,238 spectators in Budapest, the World Cup runners-up beat defending champion Spain 27:26 (12:13).
The Scandinavians had previously triumphed in 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2002.
The Spaniards, who were in the final for the fourth time in a row, missed out on a possible title hat-trick after 2018 and 2020 with the defeat.
During the final, the Swedes were mostly slightly ahead, but neither team could break away with more than two goals.
The best throwers for the Swedish vice world champions were circle runner Oscar Bergendahl and Niclas Ekberg, who had returned from the corona quarantine, each with five goals, the Kieler converted a seven meter to victory in the last second.
Right winger Aleix Gómez scored six times for the Spaniards.
Bundesliga legionnaires help Denmark to bronze
The bronze medal went to Denmark: In a dramatic game for third place, the world champion defeated Olympic champion France 35:32 (29:29, 13:14) after extra time in Budapest on Sunday.
In the Scandinavian team, where superstar Mikkel Hansen was missing, two Bundesliga professionals shone.
Goalkeeper Niklas Landin from German record champions THW Kiel parried a total of 18 throws, backcourt player Jacob Holm from Füchsen Berlin was the best scorer with ten goals.
The German team, which was thrown back by more and more corona cases in the team, finished the tournament in seventh place.
Captain Johannes Golla surprisingly made it into the all-star team of the tournament as a pivot.
cev/dpa