Natalija Lekic: “We play with heart and that's the most important thing”

“I was very shocked. I didn't expect it,” said Lekic of hearing she was named MVP. “I worked really hard this year and I'm just also proud of myself because everything worked out well. And also I'm very thankful for my team because without them, I wouldn't get the chance to get this award. I'm really happy and I can't even put emotions into words.”

The host nation’s previous best ranking at the W19 EHF EURO was seventh, which they achieved in 2017 and 2015. They came close to fifth in 2025, being narrowly defeated by France, 30:28, in the placement match on Sunday afternoon. 

“Everything worked out well. Nobody got injured. That's the best and I hope that the girls are proud of themselves because they have to be — we played against the best teams in Europe, and we showed that we can play with everybody. It doesn't matter that we are a small country. We play with heart and that's the most important thing.” 

The MVP award will serve as a great memory of the rare chance to play a championship at home. Lekic finds that playing in front of the home crowd helps complete the culture with which the handball-mad nation always approaches matches. 

“The crowd and the team — we're just a national team that plays with heart and we will give 1,000 per cent on the field, and you can see that in every game. It doesn't matter if it's important or not, if it's for placements, if it's for quarter-finals. It doesn't matter if it’s the group phase. That is really something that makes us a team. I'm really proud, again, of the whole team and it was a great tournament really,” said the centre back. 

It was exactly 10 years ago that a Montenegrin player was last MVP of the W19 EHF EURO, which marks quite a strong tradition. Since the now well-established star Djurdjina Jaukovic took the award in 2015, there have been three editions of the event. 

In that time, one other country has had two players named MVP of the W19 EHF EURO: Hungary. In 2021, it was Blanka Kajdon, and in 2023, it was Petra Simon — both centre backs like Lekic. 

“I'm honoured, really, I'm honoured,” said Lekic of being on a list that includes Jaukovic. “It's just more motivation to work on myself in the future. I will work again on myself in the future and that's it. I’m really happy.” 

Overall, the W19 EHF EURO 2025 was an extremely positive event for the home side, who had last played the top-tier competition in 2019. Since then, Montenegro were part of the EHF Championships twice, making this year a return to the highest level for this age group. 

Pilikauskaite takes third top scorer crown

It is no surprise that the top scorer of the competition, Gabija Pilikauskaite, had little trouble hitting the back of the net the most times in Podgorica — the 19-year-old has already built extensive experience due to her status as one of the biggest rising talents in Lithuania. 

In 2023, she played both the W19 and W17 EHF Championships, and she was the top scorer at both. At the W17 EHF Championship 2023 in Azerbaijan, she scored 73 goals, leading Lithuania to third place. At the W19 EHF Championship 2023 on home soil, she also led Lithuania to the bronze medal, netting 44 times. 

In addition, Pilikauskaite has been part of three qualification campaigns for Lithuania’s senior side — the EHF EURO 2024 and 2026, and the 2025 World Championship.  

In Podgorica, she scored 83 goals, finishing 19 ahead of second-ranked Maud Horvers from the Netherlands.

Photos © Rukometni savez Crne Gore & Vuk Raicevic