A long water polo summer of 2022 ended in Split with the European Championships.
Many didn’t believe that the host could win a medal. But Croatia played better and better from match to match and deservedly reached the European throne for the first time after 12 years and the continental championship in Zagreb.
The gold medal in Split has been the 11th medal for Croatia at LEN and FINA competitions since Ivica Tucak took over the team. Besides the gold medal in Split, some of the most significant successes of the Croatian national team, guided by Tucak, are the gold at the 2017 World Championships, the Olympic silver in Rio in 2016, the silver at the 2015 World Championships, etc
Ivica Tucak‘s Top 5 of 2022
Explaining why he picked the following five players, Tucak said:
“I picked the players who played, in my opinion, at a high level both in the season for the clubs and during the summer season.”
1. Felipe Perrone (ESP)
Spanish National Team Player. Club: Barceloneta. Position: Driver
Perrone has been a leader of the Spanish national team for years. He proved that at the World Championships and European Championships, where Spain won gold and bronze, respectively.
2. Marko Bijac (CRO)
Croatian National Team Player. Club: Olympiacos. Position: Goalkeeper
He was outstanding at the European Championships and showed his qualities throughout the season.
3. Josip Vrlic (CRO)
Croatian National Team Player. Club: Radnicki. Position: Center forward
Vrlic played excellently at the European Championships, but in other competitions, and was the best center-forward this season.
4. Francesco di Fulvio (ITA)
Italian National Team Player. Club: Pro Recco. Position: Driver
Di Fulvio won everything he could with Pro Recco and led Italy in the summer competitions.
