Our team failed to secure a spot at the Final Tournament, and now that emotions have settled, head coach Goran Melher reflects on what cost us the chance to reach the Euro, his work so far, and plans for the future.

Coach, the impression is that in those play-off matches there was no harmony on the court or the team spirit we saw during the qualifiers. What was missing, and how do you now view those duels against Belgium?

"We won’t kid ourselves and yes, we were missing all of that. Everything that defined us during the qualifiers simply vanished in those matches against Belgium. What we lacked most was competitive rhythm, actual games, and I was especially worried about that and it’s exactly what happened. It was tough playing duels like these, both physically and mentally demanding, especially considering many of our players had only just started physical preparations. Some hadn’t played since April or May, and on the other side we had a strong, motivated opponent with loads of experience. Mentally, our players weren’t at the level required for matches of this importance. After the first game, we did an analysis and identified the cause, but it was hard to fix things and come back from a five-goal deficit."

You’ve been in charge of the national team for just over 19 months. What’s your overall feeling about the futsal team and your work during this period?

"There are many things I have to be satisfied with, even though I’m naturally never satisfied and always believe we can do more and better. The goal I was given, and that we set when I took over, was fully achieved. Just to remind you, there were several objectives: first, to stabilize a team that had lost 8 official matches in a row and had gone over a year without a head coach. Then, to gradually introduce younger players and try to reach at least the play-offs through qualifiers. We did that, although we didn’t make that extra step forward. Still, we learned the lesson and we’ll keep working. I have to say I’m especially happy we brought the fans back throughout the qualifiers and even in the play-offs, we had fantastic support, and that’s a clear sign we’re on the right path."

It’s often said we have talented players, but there are clear gaps in quality compared to Europe’s top futsal teams. What can be done to develop futsal so that all national teams, not just the senior one, become more competitive internationally?

"From day one, I’ve said the national team depends heavily on our clubs, and in my view, that’s where we have a lot of problems. Of course we have talented players, but what we lack is professionalism and full commitment to futsal. That’s where we fall far behind European teams. We need to improve club operations, especially when it comes to coaching staff, and aim for a professional level through systematic and continuous investment. That would also help clubs and give them more opportunities to invest in youth development. It hurts to see a talented player fade away because he doesn’t get proper training or is coached by someone who hasn’t even completed a coaching course."

Do you have any camps or matches planned in the upcoming period, possibly during FIFA windows?

"Absolutely. After the play-offs, I spoke with the President and the people in charge of futsal, and we agreed on a plan and program for preparations ahead of World Cup qualifiers, which start in October next year. As part of that plan, we’ll also arrange matches during upcoming FIFA windows, and I can confirm that we’ll play two friendlies in the January cycle (January 15 and 16 2026) against the European champions, Portugal. They invited us to be their final test before the Euro. That’s a kind of confirmation that we’ve done good work recently, and matches like these can only help us grow."