Petra Vámos on Hungary‘s Inspiring Jersey and Team Growth at the World Championships
According to an article published today on the International Handball Federation’s website (.ihf.info/media-centre/news/inspired-past-looking-future-i-think-our-power-we-never-give), Petra Vámos, a key player for the Hungarian national team and French club Metz, has spoken about the significance of the team’s current jersey and the progress of the squad at the ongoing World Championships.The jersey is a tribute to the Hungarian women’s national team’s gold medal win sixty years ago – the nation’s best result in World Cup history.
“I think it’s a very cool shirt, which is an inspiration for us,” Vámos stated in the article. “I feel that it has given us extra energy so far. Every time we wear the jersey of the hungarian national team, it is a special feeling, but now with this jersey we are a little different. We can feel the positive energy from the time when the Hungarian national team won the World Cup. So, we are very proud to wear this jersey and I hope we can show with our performance that we are worthy of it.”
Vámos, 25, has quickly become a vital component of the national team. She was part of the Hungarian team that secured a silver medal at the 2018 Youth World Cup and became junior European champion in 2019. She debuted with the adult national team this year and has sence played 102 matches, scoring over 270 goals.
Currently, Vámos is a leading scorer for Hungary at the World Championships, with 18 goals – the third highest on the team behind katrin Klujber and Greta Márton. She also ranks fifth in the tournament with 23 assists. Her contributions have been instrumental in Hungary reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2013.
Vámos acknowledged the team’s recent improvements, noting, “I think we have improved a lot in recent years. I think those who watched us at the Olympics and then at the European Championships could already see the progress.”
The IHF article highlights Hungary’s ancient success in the Women’s World Championships, with a total of eight medals. Beyond the 1965 gold, they achieved silver in 2003 (co-hosted with Austria) and bronze in 2005. Though,the team has struggled to replicate that success in recent years,with an eighth-place finish in both the 2007 (France) and 2013 (Serbia) tournaments representing their best results in the last twelve years.
Vámos discussed the challenges of a generational shift within the team. “The generational change was challenging, because before we had very strong teams that achieved good results. Then a younger generation came along and we were quickly thrown into the deep end. It took a couple of years to gain experience and get better.” She also emphasized the positive team dynamic, stating, “Several of the team are currently playing in the Champions League, but we also have very young players who are brave and explosive. It’s a privilege to be in the national team, we love being here, but we also get along very well off the pitch. We have a great atmosphere.”
the article also notes that Hungary has faced difficulties in several matches during the tournament, including against Senegal, Switzerland, Romania, and Japan. However, the team demonstrated resilience, notably overcoming a six-goal deficit against Japan to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
