The club game is still on its summer break, so this week belonged to the young keepers. A new champion was crowned in Romania, a Swedish goalkeeper collected the biggest individual honour of the tournament, and the beach season named its best.

Håkansson named best keeper at the M20 EURO

The Men's 20 EHF EURO finished in Romania on Sunday. Hungary are champions for the first time, beating Sweden 34:32 after overtime in the final, and Slovenia took bronze with a 30:28 win over Denmark.

For goalkeepers, the name to remember is Viggo Håkansson. The Swede was named goalkeeper of the All-star Team, announced after Sunday's final (24 Rakomet). His quarter-final against France was the goalkeeping display of the week: 22 saves at 53 per cent efficiency, as reported in the EHF's live coverage. He was also in goal when this Swedish generation won the M18 EURO in 2024, beating Denmark in overtime in that final too.

His team-mate Liam Hultberg was voted MVP, and Latvia's Valdis Kalniņš finished top scorer with a record 104 goals. Small consolation for Håkansson and Sweden: four all-star places, but silver again.

Best of the beach

The EHF Beach Handball Championship in Zagreb, which decides who plays at the Beach EURO 2027 in Lithuania, handed out its awards on Sunday 12 July, just before last week's round-up went out, so they get their mention now.

Hungary's Dalma Mátéfi was named the women's best goalkeeper as Hungary won the title for the third time running. Poland's Krystian Matusiak took the men's award, and his side defended their title too (EHF Beach Handball).

Transfers

A quiet week between the posts. The latest confirmed keeper moves on Handball Planet's transfer wire are still the ones covered here last week: Miljan Vujović stepping in for Torbjørn Bergerud at Wisła Płock, and Bergerud joining Fredericia. Nothing new to report, and I would rather tell you that than stretch a rumour.

Coming up

The M18 EHF EURO throws off in Serbia on 29 July (EHF). Another wave of young keepers gets its stage, and the best of them will show up here.