“Fury Unleashed: Maestro Granados Silences Zagreb and Elevates Spain”
Spain’s Champion: Alvaro Granados, Photo: LEN Water Polo (X)
With three world titles in hand and an Olympic gold shining over the Pyrenees, the European crown eluded Spain until tonight.
In a thrilling finale at the European Championship, Spain’s water polo team triumphed over Croatia in Zagreb (11:10), claiming the title and securing their spot in the Paris Olympic Games this summer.
Alvaro Granados emerged as the hero of “La Furia,” netting the last two goals of the match to turn the tide against Croatia. His title-winning shot, a phenomenal “screw” from a nearly impossible angle, left Marko Bijač stunned and silenced the crowd at the Sava pool.
Croatia started the match strong, buoyed by their fans and the exceptional Luka Bukić, leading 6:3. It seemed that the “hell” of Zagreb would consume the Spaniards early on, but David Martin’s squad refused to back down…
By halftime, they were trailing by one (7:6). They fought back to equalize in the third quarter, but after Loren Fatović’s goal at the end of the third period put Croatia ahead 10:8, it appeared that Spain was headed for defeat.
Yet, the team known for its resilience stepped up. First, they narrowed the gap, and then the brilliant Granados shined through—scoring a stunning goal and the pivotal “screw” to mark Spain’s historic evening.
Up until tonight, Spain had faced defeat in three European finals (1991, 2018, and 2020), while Croatia had secured two titles on home soil—in 2010 in Zagreb and in 2022 in Split.
Earlier in the day, Italy triumphed over Hungary (12:7) in the third place match, marking their return to the podium after 2014.
The next European Championship is set for 2026 in Belgrade.
News