Domen Makuc

Domen Makuc
Personal information
Born (2000-07-01) 1 July 2000 (age 24)
Postojna, Slovenia
Nationality Slovenian
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current club FC Barcelona
Number 35
Youth career
Years Team
–2009
 RK Gold Club Kozina
2009–2015
 RK Škerjanc Jadran Hrpelje-Kozina
2015–2016
 RK Celje
Senior clubs
Years Team
2016–2020
 RK Celje
2020–
 FC Barcelona
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–
 Slovenia 20 (37)

Domen Makuc (born 1 July 2000) is a Slovenian handball player. He plays as a centre back for FC Barcelona and the Slovenian national team.[1] He participated at the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship.[2]

Career

In playing for RK Celje in the 2016–17 EHF Champions League, he became the first player born in the twenty-first century to feature in the competition.[3] That same year, he became the first born in the twenty-first century to score in it.[4][5] After signing with Barça, he was awarded the player of the match award on his debut in a victory over BM Benidorm in the Supercopa ASOBAL.[6] He made his international debut for Slovenia against the Netherlands in 2021. Makuc was the top scorer in a key 2022-23 EHF Champions League group match against THW Kiel.[7] Considered one of the best young players in the world, he has been compared to his idol, Ivano Balic.[8][9] Makuc was expected to play a significant role for Barça ahead of the 2023-24 season following the departure of Luka Cindrić, but suffered a serious knee injury in pre-season [10] Makuc missed the 2024 European Men's Handball Championship as a result.[11][12]

Honours

References

  1. ^ "MAKUC, DOMEN". EHF. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  2. ^ "SLOVENIA THROW OFF MAIN ROUND WITH BIG WIN". International Handball Federation. IHF. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  3. ^ "35. Makuc". fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Domen Makuc: Top facts to know about Slovenia's rising star". olympics.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  5. ^ "THE YEAR 2000 MAKES IT ONTO THE SCORESHEET". ehfeuro.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  6. ^ RIGUEIRA, ÁNGEL (29 August 2020). "18-38: El Barça tritura al Benidorm para ganar su novena Supercopa de España consecutiva". mundodeportivo.com. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  7. ^ Perez, Lluis Carles. "26-24: El Barça regala a Tomàs una batalla de colosos ante el Kiel". mundodeportivo. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  8. ^ "'THE NEW BALIC' FULFILS DREAM AT BARÇA". ehfeuro.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  9. ^ "BOOM: Barca Lassa to sign "new Balic" Domen Makuc?". handball-planet.com. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  10. ^ Pérez, Lluís Carles (27 February 2024). "Domen Makuc: "Lo más duro ya lo he pasado, se ve el progreso"". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Domen Makuc seriously injured". handball-planet.com. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Se confirman los peores temores con la lesión de Domen Makuc". mundodeportivo. Retrieved 30 January 2024.