The Montenegrin water polo team in Fukuoka did not improve upon last year’s performance at the major competitions but matched their finish from the World Championship in Budapest, where they placed eighth.

Being eighth in the world isn’t a disaster, especially considering the “sharks” had a poorer ranking against much tougher competitors in the past. For instance, they were considered favorites for gold in Rome in 2009 but finished ninth, and in 2019 in Gwangju, they ended up in 10th place.

The team’s record of two victories (one against the lower-ranked South Africa) in seven games is disappointing, but it’s notable that in three of their five losses (two decided by penalty shootouts), they essentially defeated themselves in the critical moments.

Of course, not winning despite strong performances cannot be attributed solely to bad luck. While luck plays a role in sports, it predominantly relies on nerve, strategic decisions, and execution. Except for the match against Croatia in the Round of 16, Montenegro fell short in decisive moments when they needed to perform.

Reaching the quarterfinals was a primary goal for the “sharks” ahead of the World Championship, and overall, the impression left after the performance in Fukuoka is slightly better than last year.

It’s unfortunate that this impression wasn’t rewarded, as Montenegro appeared more competitive against strong teams, who were considered medal favorites, compared to their performance in Budapest and the European Championship in Split last year.

The team eliminated a giant in the Round of 16, and the quarterfinal match against Greece (who later lost to Hungary in the final) will be a point of regret for both the coaching staff and players.

This was a significant opportunity for our national team to reach the semi-finals of a major competition for the first time since Euro 2020. However, even then (using Serbia’s journey as an example), they would likely be far from clinching a medal against the formidable Hungarians, Greeks, and Spaniards.

“We were tied, but we need to elevate our game to beat them. Some teams wait seven or eight years for milestones like this… I believe we had a solid chance against Greece, but we still let a few games slip away in those high-pressure moments, and we need to improve on that. We created opportunities we did not capitalize on. If we had been weaker, we could say we didn’t stand a chance, like last year. But this time, we did,” stated Gojković.

The final match in Fukuoka was a reflection of everything the coach highlighted—a penalty shootout loss to the USA followed.

“The first two quarters weren’t ideal; later, we had many opportunities. We even had four extra minutes with more players, but didn’t make the most of it. Naturally, I’m not pleased,” Gojković added.

The Montenegrin water polo players showed some resilience in far-off Fukuoka, and by January next year, they need to make significant advancements—only then will their efforts in this tournament bear fruit.

The European Championship in Netanya, taking place in early 2024, is next and serves as a qualifier for the World Championship in Doha (February 2 – 18). The tournament in Qatar is pivotal as it will qualify teams for the Olympic Games in Paris. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the “sharks” along with Gojković will be under immense pressure.

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