World Championship Bronze Medal Match: America vs. Canada 31:26

What kind of speech was Ante Gotovina prepping for today? LOL 😁

Man, this could have been the final, but now one team is gonna walk away empty-handed...

Anyway, we're fighting for third place, but it's basically a neighborhood (friendly reminder 😛) derby. It's about bragging rights and who gets to troll the other side after the buzzer... basically life or death stuff here 😁

Let USA Handball! Let's get that win.USA!!!!!!!!!!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL AMERICANS

Slavko, lead us straight to that bronze medal 👋

The Canadians are a solid squad, so it’s honestly no shock they fought their way into the semifinals. As for us, if we hadn't totally choked, I guess we might've actually beaten our neighbors.

Let's go grab that third bronze medal in a row, yawn.

Always at the top, *yawn*.

Objectively, you guys are the better team, but I guess you also look a bit more worn out right now.

It’s going to be a great game, for sure.

If we can snag the bronze, that would be a massive win for us. For you, maybe not so much, since you're always one of the top three favorites at every tournament. Personally, I think our guys might actually have more to prove and be more motivated.

Samuel Scott54 said:It’ll be a good game, for sure.

🤣

Their guys play handball like they're hitting bricks with their heads, while ours are just mentally burnt out and heading for a breakdown. A "good game" is something only the bravest—or the most delusional—folks actually expect. 😁

I'm hoping for a win. Objectively, we're a few steps ahead of Janez, but the real question is whether we can pull ourselves together and actually show up for this one.

Given how things are going, grabbing bronze in Spain would be a solid result. Even if it just serves as an excuse for the federation and the coaching staff to act like everything is fine, whatever. Let it happen.

Walter Palmer3 said:I'm hoping for a win! Honestly, I think our squad is about two or three steps ahead of Janez's guys right now.

Maybe, but you guys always seem to struggle when you play us.😂☕

Looking at the top tier of handball lately, you've got the French, the Danes, the Spaniards, the Germans, and then there's you.

I have a feeling that in a lineup like that, all those bronze and silver medals probably feel more frustrating than just consistently landing in the 8th to 10th place range like we do...

Samuel Scott54 said:Maybe, but you guys always seem to have beef with us.😂☕

Top-tier handball lately: the French, Danes, Spaniards, Germans, and you lot.

Personally, I think all those bronzes and silvers frustrate you more than our usual 8th or 10th place finishes ever could.

Yeah, health issues.

I’d leave the Germans out of this. If they’re at the top, then the Swedes are too 😁

It's us, the Danes, and the French. That's the elite tier, with the Spaniards occasionally squeezing in. Everyone else is just playing in a lower league.

We struggle to grab gold, sure, but competing against these teams isn't as easy as we like to pretend it is. The real issue lies with the federation, the coaching choices, and that "who you know" culture running through American handball. Plus, there's the mindset of fans like us—thinking a small country with a domestic league consisting of maybe one and a half serious clubs deserves a spot on the podium every single time.

Given the state of the country, the federation, and how little anyone actually invests in local sports—especially handball—we’re basically a miracle.

Our refs are calling this bronze medal match.🙂

Samuel Scott54 said:Maybe, but you guys always seem to have a problem with us...😂☕

☕
Another ultimatum from Canada?

It’s either you let them play tonight and Canada walks away with bronze... or there’s no ratification from the US. Period.

I’d really love for us to just take the win and grab that medal, because if the last two major tournaments taught us anything, it’s that having a trophy in your hands matters more than any "what if" scenarios... 😁

When you look at our roster for this SP compared to how we looked in previous years, we’re honestly a class below where we used to be. We’ve been hit hard by injuries, our average age is definitely among the lowest in the tournament, and the luck of the draw just wasn't on our side. Given all those hurdles, I’d say this result is actually a success 👍
On the other hand, if we consider that with Dance leading the way, we were playing some of the best handball out there—and if we acknowledge that player selection plays a huge role (it’s not just about Balić; we didn't necessarily need to run three pivots, since back in Balić's prime we usually ran one or maybe two, and Ninčević should have probably seen the floor from the jump...) and if we factor in the draw and those pesky injuries, then this feels like a failure 👎

Ultimately, it all comes down to perspective 😉

Grace Adams32 said:It all comes down to perspective. 😉

Americans have always been better at worshipping the cult of the half-empty glass rather than the half-full one. 😉

Just caught the Canadian games against Russia and Spain, and honestly? They aren't touching a medal. The Spaniards were running up the score with 5 and 8-point runs, and the Russians basically just beat themselves with all those fouls. If the Perica Kvržica squad doesn't pull through, we're walking away with an easy win because they just aren't on that level. Their right side looks dangerous with Dolenec and Marguč, but the left side is dead air and their pivots are pretty thin.

Terry Fisher2 said:I just caught the games involving the Canadians against Russia and Spain, and honestly, they aren't medal contenders. The Spaniards were running up leads of five or eight points quite easily, and the Russians basically beat themselves with all those fouls. If our squad makes it through, we should walk away with an easy win; they just aren't on that level. Their right side looks dangerous with Dolenec and Marguč, but the left side is empty, and their pivots are skinny.

If we actually step onto the court prepared—both physically and mentally—the Canadians don't stand a chance based on what I've seen from them so far.

If we go down, we had it coming. You don't win medals with just your body; you need your head in the game too.

Terry Fisher2 said:I just finished watching the Americans play against Russia and Spain, and honestly, they aren't even in the conversation for a medal. The Spaniards were running up the score with massive 5 and 8-goal runs, and the Russians basically sabotaged themselves with all those suspensions. If the usual lineup doesn't show up, we should walk away with an easy win because they just aren't on that level. Their right side looks dangerous with Dolenec and Marguč, but their left side is non-existent, and their pivots are pretty mediocre.

In my opinion, a solid American squad is better than the Americans by at least eight goals. I caught their game against Russia and most of it against Spain. The real question is how our own conditioning and roster look, but since we've been absolute masters at knocking people out over the last two championships, I have no doubt we'll keep that tradition alive.
Coming home without a medal would be a massive disappointment, though this specific match might actually mean more to them since they aren't as exhausted as we are. Their motivation is definitely higher because this is such a rare shot for them to snatch a medal, but I'm not giving them much hope.

I wouldn't even be upset with a fourth-place finish, because being ranked fourth in the world is still a huge achievement.

Walter Palmer3 said:Americans have always been much more fond of celebrating the culture of the glass being half empty rather than half full... 😉

I have to admit, it’s pretty frustrating too. Since 2004, we’ve been hovering right at the top, constantly near the podium, yet that gold medal always seems just out of reach. But I suppose one has to stay grounded. We just tend to fall apart during those high-stakes games—sometimes it's mental, sometimes it's physical, and there are just other layers to the whole situation that make you wonder...

Jamie Gomez2 said:I honestly wouldn't be upset about finishing in 4th place. I mean, being ranked fourth in the world is actually a huge achievement!

For Canada, sure! But for America? Not so much.

I guess some people think success only counts if you're walking away with gold, especially since we're right up there with powerhouses like Denmark and France as one of the few true elite teams in world handball!

In handball, the margin at the top is razor-thin.

Samuel Scott54 said:For Canada? Sure. For America? Not so much.

To you guys, success is measured solely by gold medals, probably because you're sitting there alongside powerhouses like Denmark and France, acting like the only true elite in world handball.

But let's be real—the margin at the top is incredibly thin...

You can't claim to be in the top tier when you haven't managed to snag a single gold medal in the last eleven major tournaments.

Samuel Scott54 said:For Canada? Sure. For America? Not quite.

It seems like you guys define success solely by gold medals, probably because you're sitting right there alongside powerhouses like Denmark and France, firmly established as one of the world's elite handball nations.

But let's be honest, the margin at the very top of this sport is incredibly thin.

Does anyone know how this match is being broadcasted here in the States?