The Czech Republic handball team’s history begins in 1993, when the independent nation was founded. Since then, their best results have been sixth at the EHF EURO 1996 and eighth at the World Championship 1995. They have yet to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Czech Republic have qualified for six World Championships and nine EUROs since 1993, though they did not make it to the final tournament in 2016 in Poland. Prior to missing the most recent edition, Czech Republic qualified for four EURO events in a row, with the best result an eighth-place finish in 2010 in Austria.

The team also missed the World Championship 2017. Though they ranked a disappointing 17th at the 2015 edition in Qatar, they celebrated winning the President’s Cup after a penalty shoot-out against Belarus.

Currently, Czech Republic are led by coaching duo Jan Filip and Daniel Kubes, both of whom are former players in the national team.

Prior to independence in 1993, the Czechoslovakia national team qualified for every World Championship since 1954, and claimed five medals in a golden period between 1954 and 1967. The team also finished with the silver medal at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

ONDREJ ZDRAHALA

Centre back Ondrej Zdrahala is an important leader in Czech Republic’s attack. The 34-year-old currently plays for the Swiss club TSV St. Otmar St. Gallen, after starting his career with Frydek-Mistek.

In between, he played for numerous clubs: Banik Karvina, TV Grosswallstadt, Bodö HK, TM Tønder, DHC Rheinland, and MSK Povazska Bystrica.

Zdrahala has scored 220 goals in 80 matches for Czech Republic.

MARTIN GALIA

The 38-year old player is the veteran of the Czech side and has played 180 games, by far the most of the roster until the EHF EURO. He is also the oldest player in the EHF EURO 2018.

Currently plying his trade for Gornik Zabrze in Poland, Galia has had Bundesliga experience, playing for the likes of Frisch auf Goppingen, TBV Lemgo and TV Grosswallstadt for nine years. Galia has been statistically the best goalkeeper in the German league in 2006, with 509 saves. He also has a brother, Michael, who also played as a goalkeeper, Michael Galia, who also played in the German league, for SC DHfK Leipzig.

44-year-old Jan Filip leads the Czech Republic as co-coach after being one of the most important players for the national side during his days on court. Filip is historically the Czech squad’s best shooter, scoring 991 goals in 200 international matches. 

Filip was also one of the most dangerous attackers in the Bundesliga at the beginning of the 21st century, tallying 1,792 goals in total while playing, among other clubs, for HSG Nordhorn in Germany’s top competition.

He started his coaching career in St. Gallen and became part of the Czech Republic national team staff in 2014.

The second coach of the national side, Daniel Kubes, is also a former Czech Republic representative. In 140 international matches, he scored 210 goals and was a crucial leader for the team in defence.

During his on-court career, Kubes played with Dukla Praha, Drott Halmstad, TuS N-Lübbecke, HSG Nordhorn, TBV Lemgo, THW Kiel and finally MT Melsungen. Now, he coaches club side TV Emsdetten in tandem with his Czech Republic team responsibilities, after accepting the role with the national side in 2014.