Domagoj Duvnjak

Croatian handball player

Domagoj Duvnjak

Duvnjak with THW Kiel in 2023

Personal information

Born

(1988-06-01) 1 June 1988 (age 35)
Đakovo, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia

Nationality

Croatian

Height

1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)

Playing position

Centre back

Club information

Current club

THW Kiel

Number

Senior clubs

Years

Team

2004–2006

RK Đakovo

2006–2009

RK Zagreb

2009–2014

HSV Hamburg

2014–

THW Kiel

National team ¹

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2006–

Croatia

247

(751)

Medal record

Olympic Games

	2012 London	Team
World Championship
	2009 Croatia
	2013 Spain
European Championship
	2008 Norway
	2010 Austria
	2020 Sweden/Austria/Norway
	2012 Serbia
	2016 Poland
U-19 World Championship
	2007 Bahrain
	2005 Qatar
U-18 European Championship
	2006 Estonia

¹ National team caps and goals correct
as of 31. December 2023

Domagoj Duvnjak (born 1 June 1988) is a Croatian professional handball player for THW Kiel and the Croatia national team.^[1] Duvnjak is regarded as one of the best handball players of all time alongside fellow Croatian Ivano Balić.

He became a member of the Croatia national team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. He also represented Croatia at the 2012, where Croatia won bronze, and 2016 Olympics.^[2]^[3] On 26 January 2014, he was named the IHF World Player 2013.^[4]^[5]

In August 2009, Duvnjak signed a three-year contract with HSV Hamburg worth €2.25 million, including a transfer fee of €1.1 million, making him – at age 21 – the most expensive handball player in history of the sport.^[6]

Honours

Club

RK Zagreb

Croatian League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
Croatian Cup: 2007, 2008, 2009

HSV Hamburg

THW Kiel

EHF Champions League: 2020
EHF Cup: 2019
Bundesliga: 2014–15, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23
DHB-Pokal: 2017, 2019, 2022
DHB-Supercup: 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Individual

General

Dražen Petrović Award: 2007
Bundesliga Ideal Team: 2011
Best Croatian handball player by SN & CHF: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
Bundesliga Player of the Season: 2013^[7]
Handball-Planet.com's World's Best Handball Player: 2013^[8]
IHF World Player of the Year: 2013
Croatian Sportsman of the Year: 2020

All-Star Team

Best centre back of the 2013 World Championship
Best centre back of the 2014 European Championship
Best centre back of the 2017 World Championship
Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2020 European Championship

References

^ EHF profile
^ "Domagoj Duvnjak Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
^ "Hrvaška rokometna ekipa za OI znana". Ekipa24.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 9 August 2017.
^ "Domagoj Duvnjak Profile". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
^ "2015 World Championship Roster" (PDF). IHF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
^ "Handball player Domagoj Duvnjak to transfer to HSV". croatiantimes.com. 25 August 2009. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
^ "Duvnjak awarded best Bundesliga player". eurohandball.com. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
^ "World's best handball player 2013: Domagoj Duvnjak!". handball-planet.com. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.

External links

Domagoj Duvnjak at the European Handball Federation
Domagoj Duvnjak at Handball-Bundesliga (in German)
Domagoj Duvnjak at THW Kiel (in German)
Domagoj Duvnjak at Olympedia
hrs

THW Kiel – current squad

1 N. Landin
3 Ehrig
4 Duvnjak (c)
6 Reinkind
7 M. Landin
10 Sagosen
13 Weinhold
16 Schröder
17 Wiencek
18 Ekberg
21 Quenstedt
23 Dahmke
24 Zarabec
28 Horák
53 Bilyk
61 Pekeler
Head Coach: Jícha

Croatia squads

v t e Croatia squad – 2007 World Men's Handball Championship – 5th place
1 Losert 2 Kaleb 3 Sulić 4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 7 Zrnić 8 Anušić 9 Vori 10 Dominiković 11 Džomba 14 Vuković 16 Jerković 18 Špoljarić 19 Metličić 23 Vukić 24 Valčić 25 Alilović Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2008 European Men's Handball Championship – Silver medal
2 Kaleb 3 Sulić 4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 9 Vori 10 Dominiković 12 Somić 13 Horvat 14 Vuković 16 Jerković 18 Špoljarić 19 Metličić 22 J. Valčić 23 Vukić 24 T. Valčić 25 Alilović 27 Čupić Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2008 Summer Olympics – 4th place
1 Losert 3 Sulić 4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 9 Vori 10 Dominiković 11 Džomba 13 Horvat 14 Vuković 17 Šprem 19 Metličić 23 Vukić 24 Valčić 25 Alilović Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2009 World Men's Handball Championship – Silver medal
1 Losert 2 Hrvatin 4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 7 Zrnić 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 13 Horvat 17 Šprem 18 Špoljarić 19 Metličić 21 Buntić 22 J. Valčić 24 T. Valčić 25 Alilović 27 Čupić 28 Anušić Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2010 European Men's Handball Championship – Silver medal
4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 7 Zrnić 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 12 Čarapina 14 Vuković 17 Mataija 20 Bičanić 21 Buntić 24 Valčić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 28 Musa Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2011 World Men's Handball Championship – 5th place
1 Šego 3 Marić 4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 7 Zrnić 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 11 Matulić 14 Vuković 16 Pešić 21 Buntić 24 Valčić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 28 Musa 29 Ninčević Coach: Goluža

v t e Croatia squad – 2012 European Men's Handball Championship – Bronze medal
4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 12 Losert 13 Horvat 14 Vuković 20 Bičanić 21 Buntić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 28 Musa 29 Ninčević Coach: Goluža

v t e Croatia squad – 2012 Summer Olympics – Bronze medal
1 Losert 4 Balić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 13 Horvat 14 Vuković 20 Bičanić 21 Buntić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 29 Ninčević Coach: Goluža

v t e Croatia squad – 2013 World Men's Handball Championship – Bronze medal
3 Marić 5 Duvnjak 6 Lacković 7 Stepančić 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 13 Horvat 14 Vuković 16 Ivić 17 Šprem 20 Bičanić 23 Mandalinić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Ćupić 28 Musa 29 Ninčević Coach: Goluža

v t e Croatia squad – 2014 European Men's Handball Championship – 4th place
1 Losert 5 Duvnjak 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 13 Horvat 14 Vuković 20 Bičanić 21 Buntić 22 Valčić 23 Mandalinić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 28 Musa 29 Ninčević 32 Slišković Coach: Goluža

v t e Croatia squad – Men's handball – 2015 World Championship – 6th place
5 Duvnjak 7 Stepančić 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 13 Horvat 16 Ivić 18 Karačić 20 Bičanić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 28 Musa 29 Ninčević 32 Slišković 34 Brozović Coach: Goluža

v t e Croatia squad – 2016 European Men's Handball Championship – Bronze medal
1 Stevanović 3 Marić 5 Duvnjak 8 Kopljar 10 Gojun 13 Horvat 18 Karačić 21 Kozina 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 29 Kovačević 30 Mamić 31 Šebetić 32 Slišković 33 Cindrić 34 Brozović Coach: Babić

v t e Croatia squad – 2016 Summer Olympics – 5th place
1 Stevanović 5 Duvnjak 7 Stepančić 8 Kopljar 10 Gojun 12 Pešić 13 Horvat 18 Karačić 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 30 Mamić 32 Slišković 34 Brozović 44 Kozina Coach: Babić

v t e Croatia squad – 2017 World Championship – 4th place
1 Stevanović 2 Mihić 5 Duvnjak 7 Stepančić 10 Gojun 11 Matulić 12 Pešić 13 Horvat 16 Ivić 20 Kontrec 22 Božić-Pavletić 23 Mandalinić 26 Štrlek 28 Musa 29 Jotić 30 Mamić 31 Šebetić 33 Cindrić Coach: Babić

v t e Croatia squad – 2018 European Men's Handball Championship – 5th place
1 Stevanović 2 Mihić 3 Marić 5 Duvnjak 7 Stepančić 8 Kopljar 9 Vori 10 Gojun 12 Pešić 13 Horvat 18 Karačić 20 Kontrec 21 Buntić 23 Mandalinić 25 Alilović 26 Štrlek 27 Čupić 28 Musa 30 Mamić 33 Cindrić 45 Jaganjac Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2019 World Championship – 6th place
1 Stevanović 5 Duvnjak 7 Stepančić 11 Vida 13 Horvat 18 Karačić 21 Blažević 26 Štrlek 28 Musa 29 Jotić 32 Slišković 33 Cindrić 39 Mandić 44 Kozina 47 Vranković 53 Šipić 55 Šego 56 Bećiri 77 Bičanić Coach: Červar

v t e Croatia squad – 2020 European Men's Handball Championship – Silver medal
3 Marić 5 Duvnjak 6 Hrstić 7 Stepančić 13 Horvat 17 Šarac 18 Karačić 28 Musa 30 Mamić 33 Cindrić 34 Brozović 36 Matanović 39 Mandić 50 Ravnić 53 Šipić 55 Šego 60 Ašanin Coach: Červar

v t e IHF World Player of the Year – Men
Veselin Vujović (1988) Kang Jae-won (1989) Magnus Wislander (1990) Talant Dujshebaev (1994) Jackson Richardson (1995) Talant Dujshebaev (1996) Stéphane Stoecklin (1997) Daniel Stephan (1998) Rafael Guijosa (1999) Dragan Škrbić (2000) Yoon Kyung-shin (2001) Bertrand Gille (2002) Ivano Balić (2003) Henning Fritz (2004) Árpád Sterbik (2005) Ivano Balić (2006) Nikola Karabatić (2007) Thierry Omeyer (2008) Sławomir Szmal (2009) Filip Jícha (2010) Mikkel Hansen (2011) Daniel Narcisse (2012) Domagoj Duvnjak (2013) Nikola Karabatić (2014) Mikkel Hansen (2015) Nikola Karabatić (2016) Not awarded (2017) Mikkel Hansen (2018) Niklas Landin Jacobsen (2019) Not awarded (2020) Niklas Landin Jacobsen (2021) Not awarded (2022) Mathias Gidsel (2023)
Rankings before 1988: Ștefan Birtalan (1974, 1976, 1977) Best Player of All Time: Gheorghe Gruia (1992) Player of the 20th Century: Magnus Wislander (2000) IHF Best Player in History: Ivano Balić (2010)

IHF World Player of the Year – Men

Veselin Vujović (1988)
Kang Jae-won (1989)
Magnus Wislander (1990)
Talant Dujshebaev (1994)
Jackson Richardson (1995)
Talant Dujshebaev (1996)
Stéphane Stoecklin (1997)
Daniel Stephan (1998)
Rafael Guijosa (1999)
Dragan Škrbić (2000)
Yoon Kyung-shin (2001)
Bertrand Gille (2002)
Ivano Balić (2003)
Henning Fritz (2004)
Árpád Sterbik (2005)
Ivano Balić (2006)
Nikola Karabatić (2007)
Thierry Omeyer (2008)
Sławomir Szmal (2009)
Filip Jícha (2010)
Mikkel Hansen (2011)
Daniel Narcisse (2012)
Domagoj Duvnjak (2013)
Nikola Karabatić (2014)
Mikkel Hansen (2015)
Nikola Karabatić (2016)
Not awarded (2017)
Mikkel Hansen (2018)
Niklas Landin Jacobsen (2019)
Not awarded (2020)
Niklas Landin Jacobsen (2021)
Not awarded (2022)
Mathias Gidsel (2023)

Rankings before 1988: Ștefan Birtalan (1974, 1976, 1977)
Best Player of All Time: Gheorghe Gruia (1992)
Player of the 20th Century: Magnus Wislander (2000)
IHF Best Player in History: Ivano Balić (2010)

v t e Croatian Sportsman of the Year by Sportske novosti daily
Yugoslav era (1952–90)	Duje Bonačić / Petar Šegvić / Mate Trojanović / Velimir Valenta (1952) Perica Vlašić (1953) Žarko Dolinar (1954) Bernard Vukas (1955) Krešo Račić (1956) Hrvoje Kačić (1957) Joško Murat (1958) Duje Smoljanović (1959) Željko Perušić (1960) Boro Jovanović (1961) Boro Jovanović / Nikola Pilić (1962) Josip Gjergja (1963) Nikola Pilić (1964) Andro Depolo (1965) Cvjetko Bilić (1966) Nikola Pilić (1967) Dragutin Šurbek (1968–69) Petar Skansi (1970) Mate Parlov (1971–73) Luciano Sušanj (1974) Antun Stipančić (1975) Matija Ljubek (1976) Joško Alebić (1977) Milan Janić (1978) Dragutin Šurbek (1979) Krešimir Ćosić (1980) Dragutin Šurbek (1981) Matija Ljubek (1982) Dragutin Šurbek (1983) Vlado Lisjak (1984) Dražen Petrović (1985–86) Ivan Šabjan (1987) Zoran Primorac (1988) Toni Kukoč (1989–90)
Since independence (1991–present)	Toni Kukoč (1991) Goran Ivanišević (1992–94) Željko Mavrović (1995) Goran Ivanišević (1996) Željko Mavrović (1997) Davor Šuker (1998) Gordan Kožulj (1999) Nikolaj Pešalov (2000) Goran Ivanišević (2001) Ivica Kostelić (2002–03) Duje Draganja (2004) Ivan Ljubičić (2005–06) Ivano Balić (2007) Filip Ude (2008) Ivica Kostelić (2009–11) Giovanni Cernogoraz (2012) Mario Mandžukić (2013) Marin Čilić (2014) Ivan Rakitić (2015) Damir Martin (2016) Tin Srbić (2017) Luka Modrić (2018) Tin Srbić (2019) Domagoj Duvnjak (2020) Tin Srbić (2021) Luka Modrić (2022) Tin Srbić (2023)

Croatian Sportsman of the Year by Sportske novosti daily

Yugoslav era
(1952–90)