What are the three golds won by Croatian youth water polo teams?

The U-16 team won the World Championship in Zagreb, the U-18 team won the World Championship in Rio Maior, and the U-20 team won the European Championship in Varna.

Who are the coaches of the three golden generations?

U-16 is led by Bruno Sabionio, U-18 by Hrvoje Koljanin, and U-20 by Zoran Bajić.

In what time period were all three golds won?

All three golds were won in just 43 days, from early July to August 16, 2026.

Will any of the young players receive a call-up to the senior national team?

Telegram reports that it is possible that senior coach Ivica Tucak will call up some of the young players for senior action, but no specific call-up has been confirmed yet.

Water Polo

Three Golds in 43 Days: Croatia Dominates World Youth Water Polo

V.P. · Prije 6h | 2 min

The U-20 national team defended its European gold in Varna, while the cadets and juniors had earlier become world champions. All three youth selections went to three tournaments and returned with three golds.

Summary

Croatia's U-20 water polo team won the European Championship in Varna, beating Spain 17-14.
Three Croatian youth selections (U-16, U-18, U-20) won three golds in just 43 days.
The U-18 team became world champions in Rio Maior after a penalty shootout (14-14; 7-6), and the U-16 team triumphed in Zagreb against Spain 10-7.
The coaches of the golden generations are Bruno Sabionio (U-16), Hrvoje Koljanin (U-18), and Zoran Bajić (U-20).

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Croatia's U-20 water polo national team won the European Championship in Varna, defeating Spain 17-14 in the final played on August 16, 2026. Coach Zoran Bajić's squad defended the title won two years ago and capped off a historic summer for Croatian water polo.

This was no isolated success. All three Croatian youth water polo national teams won gold at their respective tournaments in just 43 days, a feat rarely seen in team sports. According to Tportal, three different youth men's selections competed at the biggest tournaments in their age groups and all returned with gold medals.

Juniors Back on Top After Ten Years

The streak began in early July 2026, when the Croatian U-18 team won the world championship title in Rio Maior, Portugal. Coach Hrvoje Koljanin's squad defeated the United States in a penalty shootout, with the match ending 14-14 in regulation and 7-6 on penalties in favor of Croatia. This marked their return to the top of the world after a decade.

Cadets Celebrate at Home Pool

Next, the cadets celebrated in Zagreb. The U-16 team, led by coach Bruno Sabionio, defeated Spain 10-7 (1-1, 3-3, 2-2, 4-1) in the World Championship final. The path to gold was full of excitement: after beating Serbia in the semifinals, Croatia's young talents delivered a highly tense battle in the final. Spain put up strong resistance and led at times, but Croatia remained calm and focused, prevailing in the crucial moments.

Young Barakudas Are Absolute Rulers

The crowning achievement came from the U-20 team in Varna. Zoran Bajić's squad beat Spain 17-14, defending the title won two years prior. Večernji list highlights that the cadets (U-16) under Bruno Sabionio and the juniors (U-18) under Hrvoje Koljanin claimed world champion titles, while the U-20 team with coach Zoran Bajić became European champions.

With these results, an extraordinary summer is complete: three generations went to three tournaments and brought back three golds, confirming that Croatia need not worry about its future in water polo. The question also arises whether senior national team coach Ivica Tucak will call up some of these young players for senior action, giving the Barakudas a golden refresh.