# Portugal men's national handball team

The Portugal men's national handball team is governed by the Portuguese Handball Federation and represents Portugal in international men's handball matches. They have appeared six times in the World Championship, reaching an all-time best fourth place in 2025, and eight times in the European Championship, with a sixth place in 2020 as their best result. The team participated for the first time in the Olympic handball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, finishing in ninth place.

## Competitive record

Portugal has competed six times at the World Championship (1997, 2001, 2003, 2021, 2023, 2025) and eight times at the European Championship (1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2020, 2022, 2024). They qualified automatically for the final tournaments of the World Championship in 2003 and of the inaugural European Championship in 1994 as the host team. Their best results are a fourth place at the World Championship in 2025, and a sixth place at the European Championship in 2020.

### Legend

* Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
* Red-colored border indicates that tournament was held on home soil.

### Olympic Games

| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| 1936 Berlin | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Not held from 1948 to 1968 |||||||||
| 1972 Munich | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1976 Montreal | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1980 Moscow | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1984 Los Angeles | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1988 Seoul | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1992 Barcelona | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1996 Atlanta | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2000 Sydney | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 Athens | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2008 Beijing | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2012 London | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2020 Tokyo | Preliminary round | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 143 | 156 |
| 2024 Paris | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2028 Los Angeles | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| 2032 Brisbane | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 1/15 | – | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 143 | 156 |

### World Championship

World Championship record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| 1938 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1954 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1958 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1961 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1964 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1967 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1970 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1974 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1978 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1982 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1986 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1990 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1993 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1995 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1997 | Preliminary round | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 119 | 123 |
| 1999 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2001 | Round of 16 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 140 | 145 |
| 2003 | Second round | 12 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 219 | 182 |
| 2005 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2017 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| / 2019 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2021 | Main round | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 152 |
| / 2023 | Main round | 13 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 178 | 157 |
| // 2025 | Semi-finals | 4 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 301 | 274 |
| 2027 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| / 2029 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| // 2031 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 6/32 | – | 39 | 20 | 2 | 17 | 1125 | 1033 |

### European Championship

| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| 1994 | Preliminary round | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 117 | 154 |
| 1996 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1998 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | Preliminary round | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 153 | 160 |
| 2002 | Second round | 9 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 173 | 174 |
| 2004 | Preliminary round | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 91 | 101 |
| 2006 | Preliminary round | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 80 | 96 |
| 2008 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2012 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2014 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2016 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2018 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| // 2020 | 5th/6th place match | 6 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 228 | 220 |
| / 2022 | Preliminary round | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 85 | 91 |
| 2024 | Main round | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 224 | 223 |
| // 2026 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| // 2028 | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host |
| Total | 9/18 | – | 43 | 14 | 2 | 27 | 1151 | 1219 |

## Team
### Current squad

Squad for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship.
Head coach: Paulo Pereira
* No.
* Pos.
* Name
* Date of birth (age)
* Height
* App.
* Goals
* Club
* 4
* RW
* Pedro Portela
* (1990-01-06) 6 January 1990 (age 35)
* 1.86 m
* 146
* 483
* Sporting CP
* 8
* P
* Victor Iturriza
* (1990-05-22) 22 May 1990 (age 34)
* 1.94 m
* 46
* 154
* FC Porto
* 14
* CB
* Rui Silva
* (1993-04-28) 28 April 1993 (age 31)
* 1.86 m
* 137
* 242
* FC Porto
* 16
* GK
* Diogo Rêma Marques
* (2004-03-17) 17 March 2004 (age 20)
* 1.90 m
* 18
* 0
* FC Porto
* 21
* LW
* Leonel Fernandes
* (1998-03-12) 12 March 1998 (age 26)
* 1.91 m
* 52
* 101
* FC Porto
* 23
* LW
* Diogo Branquinho
* (1994-07-25) 25 July 1994 (age 30)
* 1.85 m
* 94
* 203
* Sporting CP
* 24
* LB
* Alexandre Cavalcanti
* (1996-12-27) 27 December 1996 (age 28)
* 2.01 m
* 87
* 110
* MT Melsungen
* 25
* RW
* António Areia
* (1990-06-21) 21 June 1990 (age 34)
* 1.90 m
* 99
* 285
* Tremblay-en-France Handball
* 26
* RB
* Francisco Costa
* (2005-02-16) 16 February 2005 (age 19)
* 1.83 m
* 30
* 101
* Sporting CP
* 31
* LB
* Salvador Salvador
* (2001-07-29) 29 July 2001 (age 23)
* 1.96 m
* 29
* 56
* Sporting CP
* 41
* GK
* Gustavo Capdeville
* (1997-08-31) 31 August 1997 (age 27)
* 1.90 m
* 54
* 0
* SL Benfica
* 65
* CB
* André Sousa
* (2002-03-03) 3 March 2002 (age 22)
* 1.86 m
* 7
* 13
* ABC/UMinho
* 66
* RB
* João Gomes
* (2002-09-06) 6 September 2002 (age 22)
* 1.78 m
* 2
* 3
* Sporting CP
* 79
* CB
* Martim Costa
* (2002-09-27) 27 September 2002 (age 22)
* 1.88 m
* 28
* 111
* Sporting CP
* 80
* CB
* Miguel Oliveira
* (2004-01-13) 13 January 2004 (age 21)
* 2.00 m
* 0
* 0
* FC Porto
* 82
* P
* Luís Frade
* (1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 (age 26)
* 1.94 m
* 72
* 160
* Barça
* 86
* P
* Ricardo Brandão
* (2004-04-28) 28 April 2004 (age 20)
* 1.98 m
* 7
* 11
* FC Porto
* 88
* LB
* Fábio Magalhães
* (1988-03-12) 12 March 1988 (age 36)
* 1.94 m
* 183
* 351
* FC Porto

### Notable former coaches

* Mircea Costache
* Mats Olsson
* Aleksander Donner