This is how you get the finishing touches for a brilliant World Cup

Austria’s men’s national handball team is currently preparing in Stockerau for the upcoming World Cup in Porec (starting on January 14th against Kuwait). Between training sessions, Markus Mahr (Bregenz) and Eric Damböck (Kreuzlingen/SUI) chatted about the countdown, expectations and goals.

Damböck is going to a major tournament as a legionnaire for the first time. “It does feel pleasant. Things are going well for me, so I came to the team with a lot of confidence.”

For Markus Mahr, the World Cup could be a career springboard. “In any case, it is an opportunity to compete with the best and see where you stand. And of course it’s a platform on which you want to show yourself.”

After the great European Championships in 2024, Austria would also like to show off at the World Cup. The objective is clear, you want to survive the preliminary round and continue playing in the main round in Croatia. “You can already say the goal,” says Mahr.

“We want to get into the main round. You can’t say what happens next anyway. That would be too much calculation.” Once again, the handball men in the country would like to spark euphoria. “Of course, victories are not unimportant,” says Damböck. “But it’s also about the performances and being able to assess them correctly.”

Help from Bilyk

At the start you have to deal with Kuwait. Boris Zivkovic and Janko Bozovic play there as legionnaires and of course have a lot to say. “They haven’t given a presentation yet, but it certainly has advantages because we young players don’t know much about Kuwait,” laughs Damböck. The team is also supported by star player Mykola Bilyk, who will most likely have to miss the World Cup with a thigh injury.

Mahr: “You can’t replace him one-to-one. But I have a good feeling because he is there and can give us tips on how we can solve difficult situations.”

If the start is successful, Austria will have one foot in the main round. If you also beat Qatar, then you can enjoy the hit against France and then move to Varazdin. First of all, you want to get the necessary World Cup form in three test matches.