Will Germany make it to the European Championship final?
The DHB team achieved an exhilarating victory in their last main round match of the 2026 European Handball Championship against France. National coach Alfred Gislason brought Juri Knorr into the game after 15 minutes. The playmaker literally exploded, scoring ten goals with his first ten shots and showing himself to be in top form ahead of our Germany vs. Croatia tip.
Knorr is an excellent example of the depth of the German squad – Gislason made 16 substitutions in the match against Les Bleus. The DHB players will benefit from the best bench at the European Championship in the semi-finals in our Germany vs. Croatia prediction – as well as from two outstanding goalkeepers.
For the second time in a row, the handball players with the eagle on their chests have now reached the European Championship semifinals. Their last triumph was ten years ago and was made possible by the head coach on the opposing side – Dagur Sigurdsson.
Germany scored at least 32 goals in each of the two matches within a few days and thrilled the audience. Euphoric after their victory against France (38:34), with Juri Knorr in improved form and a united team performance, reaching the final is a realistic prospect for Gislason’s team.
The German handball players also have a massive advantage over the Croatian national team in the goalkeeper position.
Germany – Croatia Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
It is no disadvantage that the DHB team put their minor slump against the Croatian team behind them immediately before the start of the European Handball Championship. Germany first won 32:29, then won the second match even more convincingly (33:27).
Previously, the DHB team had lost four consecutive matches against the Croatians. The German handball players suffered two defeats in the EHF Euro main round (2020, 2024). Germany also lost in the Olympic qualifiers (2024) and at the Olympic Games themselves.
Germany – Croatia Tip
Dagur Sigurdsson’s team became European vice-champions in 2020 and finished second in the Handball World Championship last year. However, the German handball players are extremely strong and the depth of the bench gives Gislason’s team an additional advantage.
Added to this is a not-so-strong tournament for the goalkeepers of the ten-time European Championship semi-finalists. Croatia only had 62 saves from its goalkeepers – significantly fewer than David Späth and Andreas Wolff combined (87).
Not only is the total number of saves an average tournament value, but so is the save percentage. Here, the efficiency in the German goal (29.29 percent) is also significantly higher than that of the Croatian team (25.2 percent). If the German handball players continue their offensive momentum against France, 31 goals should be possible.
