Croatia stood out as a nation during Partille Cup 2023

Croatia stood out as one of the nations that achieved the most success during Partille Cup 2023.

RK Dinamo Zagreb managed to take the B15 team to the semi-finals, and the B13 and B11 teams all the way to the finals. Once the B13 team got there, they lost the final to their fellow Zagreb team, RK Zagreb.

There was also a Croatian presence in the B14 final, where HC Zadar took on IK Sävehof. With such success, it's not surprising that handball is one of the largest sports in Croatia. Among the Croatian youth teams, there is therefore a lot of talk about Partille Cup.

We met RK Dinamo Zagrebs B15 team at Heden just after their win in the 1/8 final.
– In Croatia, Partille Cup is known as a kind of youth world championship. This tournament means a lot to us players, but also to our coaches and parents. We dream of returning home with the winner's trophy; it would feel fantastic, says Leon Bokulić, 15.

Bokulić's teammate, goalkeeper Andrej Vito Gorički, also 15, highlights the city of Gothenburg and the experiences off the court to explain the allure of Partille Cup.
– It's wonderful to be here. Gothenburg is a very beautiful city, and there are plenty of fun things to do between matches. Moreover, we have met many friendly people from all over the world in the other teams.
– Mostly girls, Bokulić interjects with a big smile on his face before Gorički quiets him with an elbow in the side.

However, the two of them agree that the trip to Gothenburg has brought them a lot of joy. That joy tastes even sweeter because the team has trained long and hard to get here.
– Here, we are up against the best teams from all over the world, so it feels extra good to go far in this tournament, says Gorički.