Egypt’s Under-18 men’s team delivered an impressive campaign at the 22nd Mediterranean Handball Confederation (MHC) Championship in Šamorín, Slovakia, clinching the bronze medal after a dominant 24-16 victory over the hosts in the third-place match.
The Egyptian side controlled the encounter from the opening whistle, imposing their rhythm early and winning the first two periods 11-6 and 8-3 to establish a commanding 19-9 lead. Despite Slovakia taking the final period 7-5, Egypt’s superiority across most phases of the match ensured a comfortable and well-earned podium finish.
The achievement reflects the steady progress of Egypt’s youth handball structure, with the squad featuring several players who were part of the team that secured silver at the 2025 International Handball Federation (IHF) men’s U-17 World Championship.
Held between 12 and 19 April, the Mediterranean championship brought together 14 teams from Europe and Africa. The competition followed the MHC’s distinctive format where each match is divided into three 15-minute periods, rewarding consistency and adaptability across all stages of play.
Egypt’s journey to the podium began with a strong showing in Group A where they finished second with 24 points, behind eventual champions Spain.
One of the standout moments came in their decisive group stage clash with Spain when Egypt showed resilience by winning the third period after trailing in the first two. Although Spain secured top spot in the group, the match highlighted Egypt’s ability to challenge the very best and compete at the highest level.
On the other side of the draw, Serbia topped Group B to set up a thrilling final against Spain. The championship match lived up to expectations, with Spain staging a late comeback to edge Serbia 34-33 in a dramatic finish and retain their title for the second consecutive edition.
Individual brilliance further underlined Egypt’s impact as two players were named in the tournament’s All-Star team. Youssef Ahmed earned recognition as Best Right Back, showcasing his scoring ability and tactical awareness, while Zein Ismail was selected Best Centre Back, reflecting his leadership and playmaking influence throughout the competition.
Amr Al-Adl, board member of the Egyptian Handball Federation and head of Egypt’s U-18 national team delegation in Slovakia, expressed pride in the team’s bronze medal achievement while stressing that the ultimate target had been the gold medal.
“The team fully deserved the podium finish,” Al-Adl said, praising the players for their commitment and performance throughout the competition. He noted, however, that expectations within the camp were higher, as the team had aimed to reach the final and compete for the title.
He added that Egypt came very close to achieving that objective, particularly after a highly competitive performance against eventual champions Spain during the group stage when the Egyptian side proved to be a strong contender but was ultimately denied a place in the final.
Head coach Mohamed Ibrahim expressed his satisfaction after guiding the team to the bronze medal, describing the achievement as “well deserved” and a “strong indicator of what lies ahead”.
Ibrahim praised his players for their commitment and discipline, highlighting the strong performances delivered across all the matches. He emphasised that the team maintained a high standard from start to finish, demonstrating both technical quality and mental resilience against a variety of opponents.
Ibrahim noted that the 2008 generation included a talented and promising group of players capable of achieving major success for Egyptian handball in the coming years.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 23 April, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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