Handball duo is in
How the World Cup dream came true for Belos and Albek
Joy and sorrow often go hand in hand: While the two Styrians Lukas Schweighofer and Leon Bergmann did not make it into the final World Championship squad of handball team boss Ales Pajovic, two players from Graz, the naturalized HSG players József Albek and Nemanja Belos, are in the squad and are eager to play their first World Championship matches in Porec.
"I'm really proud," beamed József Albek. When the "Krone" newspaper spoke to the native Hungarian two months ago about his big goals, the World Cup was at the top of the list. "Now this boyhood dream has come true. When I took Austrian citizenship, I didn't think it would happen so quickly," grins the backcourt shooter, who promptly emphasized after the nomination: "This is just the beginning. I now want to keep moving up step by step."
What is impressive is that Albek - like his team-mate Belos - is one of the very few players in the squad who have made the leap from the Austrian league to the World Cup squad. "I've already thought about that," laughs the 25-year-old. "There are certainly a lot of players in the league who would have liked to have my place. But I was taken."
The fact that team boss Pajovic once had the young Albek under his wing as Graz coach and that Albek plays the same position as the former ÖHB team boss is of course an advantage: "Pajo knows exactly what I can do and where he needs to support me. He helps me immensely, makes me better," says Albek, who wants to play his way into the World Cup. "I know that I have to move to a better league in the long term. I am very grateful to Graz. But I want to present myself, play a good World Cup and then see what happens. Maybe we'll know more in February or March," says Albek, whose contract with HSG Graz expires after this season.
Albek got tips from his sister Anna. The graduate of the HIB handball academy in Graz has already gained European Championship, World Championship and Olympic experience as a Hungarian national player. "She said that it won't be easy. But I want to prove myself. My parents are also coming to the games, and my sister will probably come too." If Austria makes it out of the group, a duel against Hungary could still await: "As a native Hungarian, that would be a very special duel for me and my family," says Albek.
Albek's team-mate Nemanja Belos also proudly wears the Austrian eagle on his chest. However, the Serbian-born player, who was awarded the red-white-red passport in 2023, also knows that the World Cup will be tough: "Almost all the players in the squad and on the opposing teams have much more international experience than I do. I'm proud to be there, but I also have to assert myself against these calibres," emphasizes the HSG goalscorer, who even played together with team boss Pajovic in Graz in 2017.
"Pajovic still lives in Graz and often comes to the gym. We're good friends," says the 30-year-old, for whom this is his second major event in an ÖHB team jersey after last year's European Championship and who was more or less left out as the fifth legionnaire at Bregenz in 2016. "I came to Graz and was able to mature into a good player there. I'll always be grateful for that," says Belos, whose contract expires in the summer. "But Graz is my home. A move is not an issue for me at the moment."
Belos' team-mate Lukas Schweighofer is once again not taking part in the World Cup. "It's a real shame," sighs Belos. "We were also roommates at the preparation tournament in Poland. I would have loved to have Luki there."
For Schweighofer, it's back to everyday life today instead. "I'm going back to the office. First I'll be watching the game on TV, then I'll be there to watch the game against France in Croatia on Saturday at the latest. Of course I would have loved to be at the World Cup, I've invested a lot now. But it's also clear that we have very strong players in my position in Lukas Herburger and Tobi Wagner."
The fact that two Graz players still made it into the final squad makes the son of HSG chairman Michi Schweighofer very proud: "It shows that we also have very good handball players in Graz," grins the circle player, who was picked up from the airport by his father on Saturday.
Belos and Albek join the army
Schweighofer senior is, of course, delighted that two of his Graz protégés are taking part: "Of course it would have been nice if Luki had also made it. But that's sport," sighs the handball-crazy chairman, who is back in training with his Graz team today. However, there are fewer substitutes: Belos and Albek are with the national team. Kilian Schranz is in the army. Which will also affect Belos and Albek after their naturalizations. No new additions are planned in Graz: "The budget is exhausted," says Schweighofer, who will sit down with Belos and Albek after the World Cup. However, the HSG boss also knows: "It will be difficult to keep Albek in particular."
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