Denmark honors a legend, a handball player who brought five Champions League trophies to Scandinavia while representing two clubs from the region.

Bojana Popović, recognized as one of the greatest handball players in history and an emblem of Slagelse and Viborg, is making her return to Denmark—this time as part of the coaching team for the national squad, renowned as one of the strongest globally.

Importantly, Bojana will continue her role as head coach at Budućnost, having secured permission from the renowned club in Podgorica to also work with the Danish national team concurrently.

“We want to clarify that Bojana Popović’s primary role is as the coach of ŽRK OTP Group Budućnost. Her involvement with the Danish coaching staff will not interfere with the club’s duties and the challenges we face in the forthcoming season, particularly with the Champions League matches beginning on September 7,” the Podgorica club announced.

Bojana will join the coaching staff under the new Danish national team head coach, Hela Thomsen.

“Thomsen recently took over one of Europe’s premier national teams from Jesper Jensen, with a contract extending until 2028, and she made it a priority to invite Bojana Popović onto her coaching staff. The honor given to one of the best in handball history is echoed by the fact that this marks the first time a foreigner will be part of the Danish national team’s coaching setup,” Budućnost added.

The legendary Montenegrin player is making a comeback to national handball.

“As a reminder, Popović served as the head coach for the Montenegrin national team from 2021 to April last year, achieving considerable success and winning a bronze medal at EURO 2022.”

As a member of the Danish national team’s coaching staff, Bojana will work alongside the experienced Thomsen, who boasts a rich coaching background across various clubs, as well as with both Swedish and Danish national teams, and has earned four medals in major competitions.

“For Bojana, this signifies an opportunity to reintegrate into the pinnacle of handball and to aid the Danish national team’s pursuit of top honors at the European and world stages. With pride and heartfelt sincerity, Budućnost wishes her great success with the national team. We believe that her knowledge, expertise, and commitment will be invaluable as a member of the Danish national team’s coaching staff,” Budućnost concluded.

Denmark has consistently earned a medal in each of its last three major competitions—capturing bronze at the 2023 World Cup, reaching the final at Euro 2024, and again winning bronze at the Olympics that same year.

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