31st European Championship – Budapest (Hungary) 2014
The capital of Water polo
The Hungarian capital hosted the competition of the best European teams for the fourth time, which only reinforced Budapest’s position as the capital of water polo. No one has hosted the championships so many times before, and history will bring the European Championships to the same city again six years later. This championship was held at the legendary Margitsziget from 14 to 27 July.
Dominance of Serbia in the final
It was one of the least uncertain finals of this century. In the final, Serbia already led Hungary 7:2 after two quarters. In the end, it was 12:7 for the Serbs, and the Hungarians only scored goals from penalties (2) and with an extra player (5), none from a positional attack.
Individual awards
Denes Varga (Hungary) was named the best player of the championship, while Albert Espanol (Spain) was the top scorer with 24 goals. In the women’s competition, Rita Keszthelyi (Hungary) was the top scorer with 19 goals and the MVP trophy went to Maica Garcia (Spain).
European champions (men) – Serbia: Gojko Pijetlović, Dušan Mandić, Živko Gocić, Sava Ranđelović, Miloš Ćuk, Duško Pijetlović, Slobodan Nikić, Milan Aleksić, Nikola Rađen, Filip Filipović, Andrija Prlainović, Stefan Mitrović, Branislav Mitrović
European champions (women) – Spain: Laura Ramos, Marta Pascual, Anna Llaquet, Roser Aymerich, Matilde Reyes, Jennifer Lisalde, Lorena Dorado, Maria Carrasco, Andrea Martinez, Ona Flaque, Maroa Godoy, Laura Ventosa, Patricia Fernandez
32nd European Championship – Belgrade (Serbia) 2016
Increased number of national teams
Since 2016, a total of 16 teams (instead of 12 previously) participate in the European Championships, divided into 4 groups of 4 teams each. The number of women’s teams was increased from 8 to 12 and the teams were divided into two groups of 6 selected teams each.
Record number of spectators
This was the second European Championship to be held in the Olympic year, i.e. in January, and it was held in an indoor arena. The pool was installed in the large hall of the Belgrade Arena and the final match between Serbia and Montenegro was watched by 18,473 spectators, a European record.
The first trophy for Malta
The Maltese national team made their debut at the 2016 European Championships in Belgrade, but one Maltese representative returned home with a trophy. Steven Camilleri was the top scorer at the 2016 European Championship with 21 goals. Viktor Nagy (Hungary) was the best goalkeeper of the tournament and Andrija Prlainović (Serbia) won the MVP trophy.
Rita’s hat trick
At the 2016 European Championships in Belgrade, Hungary’s Rita Keszthelyi became the tournament’s top scorer for the third time in a row, scoring 23 goals.
Podium
Behind first-placed Serbia, Montenegro and Hungary also made it onto the podium. In the women’s competition, the Netherlands and Italy followed Hungary.
European champions (men) – Serbia: Gojko Pijetlović, Dušan Mandić, Živko Gocić, Sava Ranđelović, Miloš Ćuk, Duško Pijetlović, Slobodan Nikić, Milan Aleksić, Nikola Jakšić, Filip Filipović, Andrija Prlainović, Stefan Mitrović, Branislav Mitrović
European champions (women) – Hungary: Edina Gangl, Dora Czigany, Dora Antal, Hanna Kisteleki, Gabriella Szucs, Orsolya Takacs, Anna Krisztina Illes, Rita Keszthelyi, Ildiko Toth, Barbara Bujka, Dora Csabai, Orsolya Kaso, Krisztina Garda
