Bulgaria Wins Silver at World Handball Cup, Narrowly Defeated by Great Britain

Bulgaria's men’s national handball team claimed silver at the World Handball Cup held in Varna, marking their best result in the tournament’s five editions. Previously, the team had secured two third-place finishes. However, a key turning point in the final was a red card handed to captain and assistant coach Svetlin Dimitrov in the 19th minute, which disrupted Bulgaria's momentum. Despite this setback, the team fought hard but ultimately fell to Great Britain, losing 25-29 after trailing at halftime 13-15.

Svetlin Dimitrov, who scored 51 goals throughout the tournament, was named MVP and top scorer, achieving an impressive 87% success rate. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Nikolay Petrov was awarded Best Goalkeeper, and Kristiyan Vassilev earned recognition as the Best Distributor. The final match was intense from start to finish. A brilliant save by Petrov was followed by a quick goal from Vassilev, and Bulgaria managed to stay close throughout the match. However, as the score reached 6-7, Dimitrov was sent off following an incident during a penalty shot that resulted in a direct red card under current rules.

This turn of events put Bulgaria on the back foot, as Great Britain pulled ahead 7-10. Despite attempts to recover, including goals from Nikolay Genov and Michael Ivanov, the team struggled without Dimitrov’s leadership. As the game progressed, Bulgaria fell behind by three and, despite further efforts, couldn't bridge the gap, with Great Britain emerging victorious. Coach Iliyan Vassilev acknowledged that the team fought valiantly but lacked the physical strength to overcome their opponents in the final stages.

After the match, Svetlin Dimitrov expressed his disappointment at the loss, emphasizing that despite the red card, he felt the team gave their all. He also reflected on the individual awards, stating that he would gladly trade them for the cup. Dimitrov highlighted the importance of motivating younger players and fostering the development of handball in Bulgaria.

Great Britain's coach, Ricardo Vasconcelos, praised Bulgaria’s progress since January, noting that while their first encounter had ended in a draw, his team had prepared better for this match. He congratulated the Bulgarian team on their good result and the great organization of the event.

The USA secured the bronze medals after a 31-28 victory over Nigeria, with coach Robert Hedin expressing satisfaction with his team’s performance. Paraguay and Moldova also had notable finishes, taking fifth and seventh place, respectively, with victories over Cyprus and Azerbaijan.

This year's tournament was the fifth edition of the World Handball Cup, and it marked the third time Bulgaria has hosted the event, with eight teams participating. All players were under 24, with only three older players allowed per team.