Daniela Mendes: “We put all our heart and passion in the game”

Sure, Portugal has staged big beach handball events before, most notably the Champions Cup 2022 in Porto Santo last October.

Still, the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2023 is a different story.

“I am really excited but playing ‘at home’ is also a big responsibility, so I am little bit nervous, too,” says Daniela Mendes, since years one of the faces of the Portuguese women’s national team. “But, of course, it is a great opportunity, and we will enjoy it fully.”

Hosting the 13th edition of the European Championship from Wednesday through Sunday (24-28 May) puts a nation in the limelight that has no huge tradition in the competition yet. In fact, this week marks only the third time the Portuguese women’s team take part in a EURO.

“It shows everyone that beach handball is increasingly considered as a high-level sport and has been quite developed in Portugal,” Mendes says. “It shows that it is possible to achieve good results and that our country can believe and invest in us.”

Portugal’s EURO debut came four years ago in Stare Jablonki, where they finished 15th. The breakthrough followed already two years later, when they reached the quarter-finals in Varna. After they lost that match 2:0 against Spain, they impressed by beating both Hungary and Netherlands – the silver and bronze medallists from 2019 – to claim fifth place.

And for Mendes, the only way is up from here.

“Over the years we have undoubtedly been growing as a team. The goal for this EURO is to reach at least the semi-finals. We are all motivated and really focused to achieve our goals,” she says.

“I think our greatest strength is definitely the bond in our team, we have all big ambitions and we put all our heart and passion in the game.”

Portugal will meet Netherlands again in their tournament opener on Wednesday, followed by matches against Ukraine and North Macedonia in preliminary round group B. With a squad of 14 players whose average height is just under 1.71 metre, Portugal are aware they won’t be able to rely on physical strengths in order to win matches.

“We adapt ourselves by being faster and more agile in defence, and by being really focused on our technique in attack,” says Mendes, who is 1.66 metre tall.

The 28-year-old Mendes, who has an education in accounting and administration, started playing beach handball for fun with a group of friends back in the days.

“Because of them I won the passion for the competition, for the environment of beach handball,” she recalls. “By winning a few titles with my team, I started to dream bigger and to strive for greater competitions and results.”

Approaching the top of her sport as an up-and-coming talent, Mendes received the ‘Atleta Revelação’ (Revelation Athlete) award in Portuguese handball after her breakthrough 2014/15 season.

While she developed into a prolific indoor player as well, who competed for four straight seasons in the EHF European Cup and Challenge Cup as a centre back with club team Alavarium Love Tiles, playing beach handball still brings the best out of Mendes.

“I am always so excited to play beach handball because it is a show. There is always a good environment, a good mood,” she says. “I am able to do what I love, surrounded by so many different people and it is really interesting to get to know all of the different cultures.”

photos © Axel Heimken, Jozo Cabraja, Uros Hocevar / kolektiff