North Macedonia men's national handball team

The Macedonian national handball team is the national handball team of North Macedonia. The team is run by the Macedonian Handball Federation, the governing body of handball in North Macedonia. Prior to joining the International Handball Federation in 1991 as an independent country, North Macedonia was represented within the Yugoslavia men's national handball team.

North Macedonia
Information
NicknameRed-Yellow Lions
AssociationMacedonian Handball Federation
CoachKiril Lazarov
Assistant coachPetar Basnarkov
Ninoslav Pavelić
CaptainNikola Mitrevski
Most capsStevče Aluševski (245)
Most goalsKiril Lazarov (1717)
Colours
1st
2nd
3rd
Results
World Championship
Appearances8 (First in 1999)
Best result9th (2015)
European Championship
Appearances8 (First in 1998)
Best result5th (2012)
Last updated on Unknown.

History
  • First Handball teams in Macedonia emerged in the second half of the 1940s. Soon Macedonian Handball federation started to organize national championships in big handball −11 players on a soccer field size. By the '60s it was transformed into small handball or indoor handball. Macedonian champions were qualified for federal Yugoslav Championship instead of European cup competitions. The best Macedonian players played for the Federal team of Yugoslavia. In the time of the federation, 6 of the constitutional republics were sending one federal team to compete at the Olympics and World cup. Macedonia was participating within the federal team from 1950 till 1991.

During the period 1958 till 1991 Macedonia was within the Federation of SFRJ. It was represented internationally within the team Yugoslavia as part of the Federation of 6 Republics. Macedonia is not a successor of the results of team Yugoslavia it was just part of it. During that time was present at the 5 Olympics and 10 World cup tournaments within the successful team Yugoslavia.

  • After the split of the federation, as a single republic from 1992 till 1994 Macedonia did not manage to enter the qualifications for EC, WC and OG. Macedonian team started to compete representing the single independent Republic. At the 1992 Olympics Yugoslavia team was banned to participate. At the World cup 1993 only teams from the Olympics qualified so the Macedonian team did not have a chance to qualify. From 1995 Macedonia participates as a single Republic to all qualifications and Championship tournaments.
  • European Championship For the first European Championship 1994 team Macedonia did not enter the qualifications. Since EURO 1996 team Macedonia is regular in the qualifications. It entered 8 European Championships first one in 1998 then 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. Most successful was the 2012 when they've finished 5th.
  • World Cup For the World cup 1995 only teams from EURO 1994 qualified so again team Macedonian did not get a chance to participate. At the World Cup's they entered 8 times – 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023. The most successful was in 2015 when they finished 9th.
  • Olympics For the Olympic tournament qualifications they have entered two times – 2012 finishing 4th and 2016 finishing 3rd. They did not manage to finish in the first two spots and have not qualified.

Home ground

The BTSC – Boris Trajkovski Sports Center Macedonian: Спортски центар Борис Трајковски, Skopje is a multi-functional indoor sports arena. It is located in the Karpoš Municipality of Skopje, North Macedonia. It is named after the former president, Boris Trajkovski. Its capacity is 10,000 .There is an Olympic size Swimming Pool and 5 Star Hotel Alexander Palace within the complex. Additional Water Land Fun Park and Ice Skating Rink next to it.

The arena is a home ground of the Macedonian handball team (men and women). The venue also contains four restaurants and a sports bar. It was one of two venues for the 2008 European Women's Handball Championship and will be used again for the 2022 European Women's Handball Championship for the preliminary and main round.

Competitive record

Olympic Games
Year Round Position GP W D L GS GA
1972 to 19881972,1976,1980,1984,1988
Within Yugoslavia team
(1),(5),(6),(1),(3)
1992banned
1996Could not participate in qualification
2000World cup served as qualifiers
Did not qualify for World Cup
Did not enter
2004
2008
2012play off
2016play off
2020Did not qualify
2024
2028TBD
Total0/3

World Championship
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA GD
1958 to 1990 1958,1961,1964,1967, 1970,1974,1978,1982,1986,1990
Within Yugoslavia team
(8),(9),(6),(7),(3),(3),(5),(2),(1),(4)
1993 Could not participate in qualification
1995
1997 Did not qualify
1999 Preliminary round 18th 5 1 0 4 122 149 −27
2001 Did not qualify
2003
2005
2007
2009 Main Round 11th 11 5 0 6 309 322 −13
2011 Did not qualify
2013 Round of 16 14th 6 2 1 3 165 171 −6
2015 Round of 16 9th 6 4 0 2 181 168 +13
2017 Round of 16 15th 6 2 1 3 163 171 −8
2019 President's Cup 15th 7 3 0 4 191 199 −8
2021 Main round 23rd 6 1 0 5 138 192 −54
2023 President's Cup 27th 7 3 0 4 221 224 −3
2025 Qualified
2027 To be determined
2029
2031
Total9/15– 5421231 14901596−106

European Championship
Year Round Position GP W D L GS GA
1994Did not participate
1996Did not qualify
1998Preliminary Round12th6015130174
2000Did not qualify
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
20125th / 6th place5th7412185175
2014Main Round10th6114141167
2016Main Round11th6024157176
2018Main Round11th6213143164
2020Preliminary round15th31027984
2022Preliminary round22nd30037086
2024Preliminary round17th310283100
2026To be determined
2028
Total8/18–4096259881126

Mediterranean Games
Year Round Position GP W D L
1993–2009Did not participate
2013Group stage8th4202
2018Group stage13th3102
2022Semi Finals4th5212
Total3/3– 12516

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2024 European Men's Handball Championship.[1][2]

Head coach: Kiril Lazarov

No. Pos. Name Date of birth (age) Height App. Goals Club
1 GK Nikola Mitrevski (1985-10-03) 3 October 1985 1.84 m 34 7 FC Porto
2 LB Edvin Omeragikj (2002-10-09) 9 October 2002 1.96 m 0 0 RK Alkaloid
4 RB Martin Velkovski (1997-03-10) 10 March 1997 1.88 m 34 9 RK Alkaloid
9 CB Igor Gjorgiev (2000-06-02) 2 June 2000 1.87 m 16 27 RK Alkaloid
10 CB Marko Mitev (2003-02-23) 23 February 2003 1.81 m 4 7 RK Alkaloid
11 LB Filip Taleski (1996-03-28) 28 March 1996 2.00 m 64 164 SL Benfica
12 GK Martin Tomovski (1997-07-10) 10 July 1997 1.94 m 26 0 RK Vardar 1961
17 P Nikola Markoski (1990-05-22) 22 May 1990 1.98 m 70 24 RK Alkaloid
18 CB Filip Kuzmanovski (1996-07-07) 7 July 1996 1.98 m 63 124 RK Eurofarm Pelister
19 RW Nenad Kosteski (2001-04-03) 3 April 2001 1.89 m 15 34 RK Eurofarm Pelister
20 GK Marko Kizikj (2001-01-22) 22 January 2001 1.98 m 2 0 RK Eurofarm Pelister
26 RW Nikola Kosteski (1992-08-22) 22 August 1992 1.83 m 0 0 Talent Plzeň
33 P Žarko Peševski (1991-04-11) 11 April 1991 1.95 m 68 112 RK Eurofarm Pelister
34 RB Tomislav Jagurinovski (1998-08-19) 19 August 1998 1.88 m 9 5 RK Vardar 1961
36 P Milan Lazarevski (1997-02-09) 9 February 1997 1.93 m 0 0 RK Vardar 1961
38 LB Ivan Džonov (1997-07-15) 15 July 1997 1.91 m 10 13 RK Alkaloid
55 LW Petar Atanasijevikj (2003-07-09) 9 July 2003 1.92 m 7 14 RK Eurofarm Pelister
79 RB David Savrevski (2002-06-16) 16 June 2002 1.95 m 5 5 RK Alkaloid

Notable players

Statistics

Record against other teams

As of 3 May 2021

Key
Positive total balance (more wins)
Neutral total balance (equal W/L ratio)
Negative total balance (more losses)
National team Total Olympic Games World Championship European Championship Mediterranean Games Qualifications
Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L
Algeria 2200 0000 1100 ———— 1100 0000
Angola 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Austria 5302 0000 1100 2101 ———— 2101
Bahrain 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Belarus 4103 0000 1001 1001 ———— 2101
Belgium 101000 0000 0000 0000 ———— 101000
Bosnia and
Herzegovina 		7322 0000 1100 0000 0000 6222
Brazil 2002 0000 1001 ———— ———— 1001
Bulgaria 6600 0000 0000 0000 ———— 6600
Chile 4400 0000 3300 ———— ———— 1100
Croatia 6105 0000 2002 2002 0000 2101
Cuba 1001 0000 1001 ———— ———— 0000
Cyprus 2200 0000 0000 0000 0000 2200
Czech Republic 15537 0000 0000 5113 ———— 10424
Denmark 7106 0000 2002 3003 ———— 2101
Egypt 3003 0000 2002 ———— 1001 0000
Estonia 6420 0000 0000 0000 ———— 6420
Finland 4310 0000 0000 0000 ———— 4310
France 3003 0000 0000 1001 0000 2002
Germany 5014 0000 3003 2011 ———— 0000
Greece 8602 0000 0000 0000 0000 8602
Hungary 122010 0000 0000 1001 ———— 11209
Iceland 184212 0000 3012 1001 ———— 14419
Iran 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Israel 4301 0000 0000 0000 ———— 4301
Italy 4202 0000 0000 1001 1001 2200
Japan 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Latvia 2200 0000 0000 0000 ———— 2200
Lithuania 3012 0000 0000 0000 ———— 3012
Luxemburg 4400 0000 0000 0000 ———— 4400
Montenegro 1100 0000 0000 1100 0000 0000
Netherlands 2101 0000 0000 0000 ———— 2101
Norway 5113 0000 2002 1010 ———— 2101
Poland 4202 0000 1100 2101 ———— 1001
Portugal 8404 0000 0000 0000 ———— 8404
Qatar 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Romania 4202 0000 0000 0000 ———— 4202
Russia 5122 0000 4112 1010 ———— 0000
Saudi Arabia 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Serbia 4211 0000 0000 2110 2101 0000
Slovakia 2101 0000 0000 0000 ———— 2101
Slovenia 7205 0000 3003 2200 0000 2002
South Korea 1100 0000 1100 ———— ———— 0000
Spain 7007 0000 2002 3003 0000 2002
Sweden 3012 0000 1001 1010 ———— 1001
Switzerland 11506 0000 0000 1100 ———— 10406
Tunisia 5203 0000 3201 ———— 1001 1001
Turkey 7601 0000 0000 0000 2101 5500
Ukraine 5221 0000 0000 1100 ———— 4121
Total (49) 24410821115

References
  1. "СЕЛЕКТОРОТ НА МАШКАТА СЕНИОРСКА РЕПРЕЗЕНТЦИЈА КИРИЛ ЛАЗАРОВ ГО ОБЈАВУВА СПИСОКОТ НА ПОВИКАНИ РАКОМЕТАРИ ЗА СОБИР И ПОДГОТОВКИ ЗА EHF EURO 2024" (in Macedonian). macedoniahandball.com.mk. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  2. "Team roster: North Macedonia". res.ehf.eu. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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