Spain’s silver medal at the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2025 in Alanya, Türkiye, marked a new milestone for the men’s national team. Eight years after their last European podium, Spain returned to medal contention under Juan Antonio Vázquez Diz, a coach who has seamlessly combined science and experience to take his team to a new level.
Known in the handball world as ‘Chispi’, the coach from Seville was once a legend on the sand — a three-time EURO top scorer and MVP in 2015. Now aged 42, he leads the national team with a strong strategic and educational vision. “Winning silver was amazing, and we were a little surprised,” he recalls. “Our idea was to introduce young players so they could gain experience for the coming years — but their performance was incredible.”
Spain’s success in Alanya was built on a renewed, disciplined and united group. “The key was the great unity of the team throughout the tournament and the confidence they showed in everything we asked them to do from the sidelines. In this sport, accuracy in the shootout is essential — without it, it’s impossible to win a medal,” explains Vázquez Diz. He also praised the maturity of a young squad that remained composed in crucial moments: “Their discipline and ability to adapt were exceptional.”
Emotions at the heart of his research
Holding a PhD in Sport and Exercise Sciences, Performance, Management and Health from the University of Málaga, Vázquez Diz combines his coaching duties with teaching at Centro Universitario San Isidoro, affiliated with the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, where he lectures on performance and team sports tactics.
“At the university, we’ve developed observation tools to record collective tactical actions and goalkeeper interventions. Knowing that these tools are being used to analyse international tournaments makes us proud,” he says. He also leads research projects on collective defence and sports psychology applied to shootout situations. “We want to understand how emotions affect those critical moments, because we know they can decide a match.”
This connection between science and sport defines his coaching philosophy. In training, systematic analysis and observation go hand in hand with motivation and empathy. “I believe my academic background helps me see the game from another angle and offer players a more structured process,” he adds.
A life shaped by beach handball
Born in Seville, ‘Chispi’ discovered beach handball in 2004 at a national tournament in Huelva. “From the beginning, I found it spectacular and fun — the speed, the constant movement, the risk in every attack,” he remembers. That first encounter became the start of a career that would see him represent Spain for more than a decade and become one of Europe’s standout players.
When he decided to retire in 2019, the transition was immediate. “The federation offered me the chance to coach the youth national team, and I accepted right away. I had always known I wanted to coach once I stopped playing. Maybe I could have played a few more tournaments, but I couldn’t let that opportunity pass.”
The Olympic dream, the next step
Since then, Vázquez Diz has led a generational renewal of the national team, betting on young talents who balance both indoor and beach handball. “The future of beach handball is exciting. Federations have realised its potential and are investing more. The media coverage of the last EURO was amazing,” he notes.
Aware of the scheduling challenges faced by players who compete in both formats, he insists that “federations need to find the right balance so the sport’s growth doesn’t create conflicts with indoor handball.” And while inclusion in the Olympic programme remains uncertain, the Spanish coach is clear about its importance: “It would be a decisive step for the global development of our sport.”
