Červar, at 76, Returns to the Bench: Takes Over Eurofarm Pelister
Celebrated Croatian handball coach Lino Červar has come out of retirement and opened a new chapter in his career at a club that will compete in the European League this season.
Celebrated Croatian handball coach Lino Červar has come out of retirement and opened a new chapter in his career at a club that will compete in the European League this season.
Lino Červar, the legendary Croatian handball coach, has once again surprised the sports public. At the age of 76, he has decided to end his coaching retirement and take over the Macedonian club Eurofarm Pelister, as confirmed on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
With this engagement, Červar returns to Macedonia, a country where he has already left a deep mark. For years, he successfully led Metalurg, achieving notable results on the European stage. He also served as the head coach of the Macedonian national team, making him well acquainted with the local handball environment.
The arrival of the 'Magician from Umag' is Pelister's most high-profile signing ahead of the new season. The club will compete in the European League, where they face challenging opponents in their group: Germany's Gummersbach, Spain's La Rioja, and Poland's Wybrzeże Gdańsk.
Červar achieved his greatest coaching successes at the helm of the Croatian national team. The pinnacle of his career came with the world championship title in 2003 in Portugal and Olympic gold a year later, in 2004, in Athens.
His impressive medal collection doesn't stop there. With Croatia, he also won two world silver medals, in 2005 and 2009, and as many as three European silver medals, in 2008, 2010, and 2020. Although he had already announced the end of his coaching career, Červar clearly hasn't had his final say and is once again taking on new European challenges.
