Croatian player Igor Vori (left) in action against Brazil in Doha on Sunday. (EPA)
When Croatia won its only world title after beating Germany back in 2003 in Portugal, Igor Vori was already on the court. When the Croats battle Poland for a semi-final spot at the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship in Qatar a dozen years later, the 34-year-old line player is still part of the squad as the “last survivor” of the “Golden Generation”.
After gaining his biggest club level success ever by winning the EHF Champions League in June 2013 with HSV Hamburg, Vori took his fifth individual “country point” by transferring to French champions PSG Paris after playing in Croatia (RK Zagreb), Italy (Conversano), Spain (FC Barcelona) and Germany (Hamburg).
And despite becoming world champion in 2003 and Olympic champions in 2004, Vori is still missing one major medal: gold from the European championship.
Since Slovenia hosted the continental championship in 2004, the Croats (along with Vori) have advanced to the Euro semi-finals and for three World Championship semis (2005, 2009, 2013), but never celebrated later on the winners’ podium.
After their lucky eighth-final win on Sunday against Brazil, Vori talked about his expectations in Doha and his future.
Did you expect such a close eighth-final against Brazil?
Igor Vori: Yes, it was a really tough job, but in the end it was an awesome feeling to celebrate the victory. We have made it, that’s all that counts after a really strange match. We missed so many chances, we failed four times from the penalty line, but in the end we were through to the next round.
But winning matches like those often end in trophies.
IV: Yes, indeed. On dark days the true character of a team appears. And we showed character, we acted as a team in the crucial moments, we have the experience to finish even a weak match successfully.
What are your expectations for the quarter-final?
IV: We will face a tough opponent, this is for sure. But we have this great objective in our heads to make it to another semi-final, to get closer to the Olympic Games, to fight for a medal.
Croatia have won all six matches in Qatar – how many more victories will follow?
IV: (Smiling) It’s three, or? I hope for three yes. But in this tournament anything can happen.
So how high do you estimate the chances to be part of the Olympic handball tournament in Rio de Janeiro?
IV: I have no idea at the moment. We are in Qatar, we have a quarter-final ahead, so I think that it’s too early to start talking about Rio.
