Following the world titles of the U-16 and U-18 national teams, the U-20 selection defeated Spain 17:14 in the final of the European Championship in Varna, completing a historic summer for Croatian water polo.
Croatia's under-20 water polo team clinched the European title in Varna, Bulgaria. In the final played on August 16, 2026, they defeated Spain 17:14, thus defending the gold they won in 2024. Coach Zoran Bajić's squad secured the title after a dramatic match: Spain led 5:3 after the first quarter, but Croatia equalized by halftime, took control in the second half, and ultimately celebrated a 17:14 victory.
The final also produced individual heroes: Gabrijel Burburan led Croatia with five goals, while captain Maro Šušić added four. On the other side, Alber Sabadell scored four times for Spain. Early in the third quarter, Croatia took the lead with two consecutive goals and never relinquished it until the final whistle.
Burburan, Šušić, and goalkeeper Špilar played key roles in the triumph over the Spaniards, earning credit for defending the title in a dramatic final. Špilar entered the game early in the second quarter in place of Batoš and made four saves in the first three and a half minutes, totaling six by the end of that quarter, which turned the tide of the match. Burburan converted two penalty shots, and Šušić scored at the buzzer to level the score at halftime.
The golden squad also included four players from Dubrovnik's Jug: Maro Šušić, Ante Jerković, Antoan Špilar, and Igor Računica. Additionally, Ante Donđivić and Šime Žilić, members of Zadar 1952, also played for Croatia.
In the bronze medal match, Italy defeated Montenegro 15:13 after a better penalty shootout.
This success is the crowning part of an incredible run for Croatian water polo in youth categories. In early July 2026, the U-18 national team won the world title in Rio Maior, Portugal. A month later, in August, the U-16 team became world champions in Zagreb, defeating defending champions Spain in the final.
Now, the U-20 generation has added European gold, completing a series of three major titles in three different age groups within a single summer. In just 43 days, Croatia has won three golds in youth water polo.
The Croatian Water Polo Federation highlighted on social media: "Three generations. Three big finals. Three medals. U16 world champions. U18 world champions. And now U20 European champions! We can't recall if any men's national team has ever achieved what Croatia has this summer, with three different generations in one summer reaching three finals of the biggest international competitions. What a summer. What a future for Croatian water polo."
The international water polo community is thrilled by what Croatia has accomplished. Total Waterpolo, after the latest gold, said: 'What a summer for Croatian water polo!', describing Croatia's feat as a complete sweep of the top podium steps and calling it a 'clean sweep'.
Before the final itself, European Aquatics had already mentioned a 'golden hat-trick', emphasizing that Croatia needed just one win to complete the 'golden hat-trick' in youth categories. That win came.
What makes this success special is that it's not the same team repeating a triumph, but three different age groups with a whole range of players aged 16 to 20. This speaks to the system, the clubs that develop players, and the continuity of work.
How rare such a run is can be seen in comparison with Spain. Last year, European Aquatics highlighted a streak by Spanish women's water polo players who won five gold medals at six major youth tournaments over two years. However, Croatia's achievement came in just one summer, across three consecutive men's age groups.
Adding to the weight is the fact that the U-16 World Championship is a relatively new competition, organized by World Aquatics only since 2022, so the possibility of linking all titles has existed for only a few years.
The U-16s are world champions, the U-18s are world champions, and the U-20s are European champions. Three Croatian generations in a row faced the best in the world and Europe this summer, and each finished on the highest step of the podium.
