Water polo at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament

The men's water polo tournament at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships was held from 5 to 17 February 2024 in Doha. This was the 21st time that the men's water polo tournament has been played since the first edition in 1973.[1]

Water polo at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament
Tournament details
Host country Qatar
Venue(s)Aspire Dome (in Doha host cities)
Dates5–17 February
Teams16 (from 5 confederations)
Final positions
Champions Croatia (3rd title)
Runner-up Italy
Third place Spain
Fourth place France
Tournament statistics
Matches played48
Goals scored1,163 (24.23 per match)
Top scorer(s)Croatia Nikolay Bonev
(34 goals)
Best playerCroatia Nikolay Bonev
Best goalkeeperItaly Marco Del Lungo
Next →

Croatia won their third title after a win over Italy.[2]

Qualification

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Of the qualified teams, fourteen returned from 2023. Romania qualified for the first time in eleven years, while Brazil qualified after withdrawing from 2023. Canada and Argentina were the only teams that failed to make this edition but made 2023.

Event Dates Hosts Quota Qualifier(s)
2023 World Cup 8 March – 2 July 2023   Los Angeles 2   Spain
  Italy
2023 World Championships 17–29 July 2023   Fukuoka 4   Hungary
  Greece
  Serbia
  France
2022 Asian Games 2–7 October 2023   Hangzhou 3   Japan
  China
  Kazakhstan
2023 Pan American Games 30 October – 4 November 2023   Santiago 2   United States
  Brazil
2024 European Championship 4–16 January 2024   Dubrovnik/Zagreb 3   Croatia
  Montenegro
  Romania
African selection 1   South Africa
Oceanian selection 1   Australia
Total 16

Schedule

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All times are local (UTC+3).[3]

Date Time Round
5 February 2024 09:00 Preliminary round
7 February 2024
9 February 2024
11 February 2024 09:00 Play-offs/Placement matches
13 February 2024 09:00 Quarterfinals/Placement matches
15 February 2024 09:00 Semifinals/Placement matches
17 February 2024 10:00 Finals

Draw

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The draw was held on 7 November 2023.[4][5]

Seeding

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Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
  Hungary
  Greece
  Spain
  Serbia
  Italy
  France
  Croatia[A]
  United States
  Montenegro[B]
  Romania[C]
  Brazil
  Australia
  Japan
  China
  Kazakhstan
  South Africa
  1. ^ Team known as Europe 1 at the time of the draw.
  2. ^ Team known as Europe 2 at the time of the draw.
  3. ^ Team known as Europe 3 at the time of the draw.

Preliminary round

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All times are local (UTC+3).

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Spain 3 3 0 0 0 46 20 +26 9 Quarterfinals
2   Croatia 3 2 0 0 1 48 24 +24 6 Playoffs
3   Australia 3 1 0 0 2 46 35 +11 3
4   South Africa 3 0 0 0 3 18 79 −61 0 13–16th place semifinals
Source: World Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
5 February 2024
09:00
Report[dead link] South Africa   5–21   Spain Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ), Cheng Beng Guan (SGP)
Score by quarters: 1–6, 0–7, 0–4, 4–4
Van Zyl 3 Goals Biel, Granados 4
5 February 2024
13:30
Report[dead link] Croatia   13–8   Australia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Michiel Zwart (NED), György Kun (HUN)
Score by quarters: 5–1, 4–2, 2–2, 2–3
six players 2 Goals Berehulak, Pavillard 2

7 February 2024
13:30
Report[dead link] Australia   29–7   South Africa Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
David Couper (NZL), Cheng Beng Guan (SGP)
Score by quarters: 6–2, 8–1, 7–1, 8–3
Edwards 6 Goals Stone 2
7 February 2024
19:00
Report[dead link] Spain   10–6   Croatia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), Darren Spiritosanto (USA)
Score by quarters: 2–1, 3–2, 1–0, 4–3
Granados 3 Goals Fatović 3

9 February 2024
13:30
Report[dead link] Australia   9–15   Spain Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
György Kun (HUN), Darren Spiritosanto (USA)
Score by quarters: 2–4, 3–2, 2–4, 2–5
Mercep 3 Goals three players 3
9 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] South Africa   6–29   Croatia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Ashleigh Kaeshler (AUS), Yuri Maciel (BRA)
Score by quarters: 2–7, 1–7, 3–7, 0–8
Tucker 2 Goals Marinić Kragić 5

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Greece 3 3 0 0 0 60 22 +38 9 Quarterfinals
2   France 3 2 0 0 1 44 33 +11 6 Playoffs
3   China 3 1 0 0 2 25 48 −23 3
4   Brazil 3 0 0 0 3 23 49 −26 0 13–16th place semifinals
Source: World Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
5 February 2024
10:30
Report[dead link] China   6–24   Greece Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Alessandro Severo (ITA), Stanko Ivanovski (MNE)
Score by quarters: 1–4, 0–6, 3–7, 2–7
Xie 2 Goals Genidounias 5
5 February 2024
12:00
Report[dead link] Brazil   11–16   France Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Darren Spiritosanto (USA), Andreia Stanojević (SRB)
Score by quarters: 1–3, 4–5, 3–4, 3–4
R. Real 5 Goals Vernoux 6

7 February 2024
09:00
Report[dead link] France   16–9   China Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Stanko Ivanovski (MNE), Andreia Stanojević (SRB)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 4–2, 2–1, 7–3
Vernoux 6 Goals Chen Z. 3
7 February 2024
10:30
Report[dead link] Greece   23–4   Brazil Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
György Kun (HUN), Alessandro Severo (ITA)
Score by quarters: 6–3, 4–0, 6–0, 7–1
Fountoulis 4 Goals Pires 2

9 February 2024
19:00
Report[dead link] Greece   13–12   France Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Andrej Franulović (CRO), Zhang Liang (CHN)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 4–3, 3–2, 3–4
four players 2 Goals Marion-Vernoux 4
9 February 2024
20:30
Report[dead link] Brazil   8–10   China Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Alessandro Severo (ITA), David Couper (NZL)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 2–1, 1–3, 2–4
Freitas 3 Goals Chen Z. 3

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Serbia 3 3 0 0 0 45 28 +17 9 Quarterfinals
2   Montenegro 3 1 1 0 1 30 36 −6 5 Playoffs
3   United States 3 1 0 1 1 41 30 +11 4
4   Japan 3 0 0 0 3 26 48 −22 0 13–16th place semifinals
Source: World Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
5 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] Japan   10–17   Serbia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Andrej Franulović (CRO)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 4–4, 1–5, 2–4
three players 2 Goals Jakšić 4
5 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Montenegro   16–15   United States Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 3–1, 2–3, 4–3, 2–4  PSO: 5–4
three players 2 Goals Bowen 5

7 February 2024
12:00
Report[dead link] United States   18–5   Japan Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Xavi Buch (ESP), Sébastien Dervieux (FRA)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 4–0, 4–2, 6–2
Hooper 6 Goals Ogihara 2
7 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Serbia   14–6   Montenegro Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Michiel Zwart (NED), Andrej Franulović (CRO)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 2–2, 5–3, 3–0
Mandić 4 Goals six players 1

9 February 2024
09:00
Report[dead link] Montenegro   13–11   Japan Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Michiel Zwart (NED), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 2–3, 4–0, 4–6
Matković 4 Goals Watanabe 5
9 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Serbia   14–12   United States Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), Georgios Stavridis (GRE)
Score by quarters: 2–3, 3–4, 6–1, 3–4
three players 3 Goals Daube 4

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Hungary 3 2 1 0 0 52 18 +34 8 Quarterfinals
2   Italy 3 2 0 1 0 58 22 +36 7 Playoffs
3   Romania 3 1 0 0 2 43 34 +9 3
4   Kazakhstan 3 0 0 0 3 7 86 −79 0 13–16th place semifinals
Source: World Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
5 February 2024
19:00
Report[dead link] Italy   33–3   Kazakhstan Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Zhang Liang (CHN), Matan Schwartz (ISR)
Score by quarters: 6–1, 10–1, 8–1, 9–0
Cannella, Fondelli 7 Goals three players 1
5 February 2024
20:30
Report[dead link] Romania   8–15   Hungary Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Xavi Buch (ESP), Sébastien Dervieux (FRA)
Score by quarters: 2–5, 2–5, 3–2, 1–3
Fulea, Georgescu 2 Goals Vámos, Zalánki 3

7 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] Kazakhstan   3–25   Romania Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Zhang Liang (CHN), Matan Schwartz (ISR)
Score by quarters: 1–7, 1–6, 0–5, 1–7
three players 1 Goals Fulea, Prioteasa 5
7 February 2024
20:30
Report[dead link] Hungary   15–14   Italy Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 2–2, 3–3, 2–2  PSO: 6–5
three players 2 Goals Di Fulvio 3

9 February 2024
10:30
Report[dead link] Kazakhstan   1–28   Hungary Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Hélène Painchaud (CAN), Cheng Beng Guan (SGP)
Score by quarters: 0–8, 0–5, 0–8, 1–7
Yeremin 1 Goals Vigvári 5
9 February 2024
12:00
Report[dead link] Romania   10–16   Italy Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Sébastien Dervieux (FRA), Lucas Letshabo (RSA)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 4–4, 2–5, 1–3
Georgescu 3 Goals Di Fulvio 5

Knockout stage

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Bracket

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Championship bracket
 
PlayoffsQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
 
 
 
13 February
 
 
  Spain15
 
11 February
 
  Montenegro12
 
  Montenegro12
 
15 February
 
  Romania9
 
  Spain6
 
 
  Italy8
 
 
13 February
 
 
  Greece10
 
11 February
 
  Italy11
 
  United States12
 
17 February
 
  Italy13
 
  Italy11 (2)
 
 
  Croatia (PSO)11 (4)
 
 
13 February
 
 
  Serbia13
 
11 February
 
  Croatia15
 
  Croatia22
 
15 February
 
  China4
 
  Croatia11 (6)
 
 
  France11 (5) Third place
 
 
13 February17 February
 
 
  Hungary10  Spain14
 
11 February
 
  France11   France10
 
  Australia8
 
 
  France11
 
5th place bracket
 
5th–8th place semifinalsFifth place game
 
      
 
15 February
 
 
  Montenegro10 (3)
 
17 February
 
  Greece (PSO)10 (4)
 
  Greece15
 
15 February
 
  Serbia11
 
  Serbia11
 
 
  Hungary10
 
Seventh place game
 
 
17 February
 
 
  Montenegro14 (2)
 
 
  Hungary (PSO)14 (4)
9th place bracket
 
9th–12th place semifinalsNinth place game
 
      
 
13 February
 
 
  China7
 
15 February
 
  Romania9
 
  Romania9
 
13 February
 
  United States13
 
  Australia10
 
 
  United States16
 
Eleventh place game
 
 
15 February
 
 
  China7
 
 
  Australia17
13th place bracket
 
13th–16th place semifinals13th place game
 
      
 
11 February
 
 
  South Africa5
 
13 February
 
  Brazil18
 
  Brazil11
 
11 February
 
  Japan22
 
  Japan17
 
 
  Kazakhstan4
 
15th place game
 
 
13 February
 
 
  South Africa11
 
 
  Kazakhstan10

Playoffs

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11 February 2024
12:00
Report[dead link] Croatia   22–4   China Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Sébastien Dervieux (FRA), Stanko Ivanovski (MNE)
Score by quarters: 5–2, 5–1, 6–1, 6–0
Kharkov 4 Goals four players 1

11 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] Australia   8–11   France Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Frank Ohme (GER), Andreia Stanojević (SRB)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 3–4, 1–2, 1–3
Maksimović 2 Goals Bouet 4

11 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Montenegro   12–9   Romania Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
György Kun (HUN), Alessandro Severo (ITA)
Score by quarters: 3–5, 4–1, 2–2, 3–1
Averka, Perković 3 Goals Fulea 3

11 February 2024
19:00
Report[dead link] United States   12–13   Italy Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Xavi Buch (ESP), Michiel Zwart (NED)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 1–3, 4–4, 4–3
Daube 4 Goals Di Fulvio, Fondelli 3

Quarterfinals

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13 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] Spain   15–12   Montenegro Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Michiel Zwart (NED), Andrej Franulović (CRO)
Score by quarters: 5–2, 3–5, 5–0, 2–5
Perrone 5 Goals Mršić 4

13 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Greece   10–11   Italy Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), Sébastien Dervieux (FRA)
Score by quarters: 3–1, 2–5, 3–2, 2–3
Genidounias 3 Goals three players 2

13 February 2024
19:00
Report[dead link] Serbia   13–15   Croatia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 4–4, 5–5, 1–2, 3–4
S. Rašović 3 Goals Fatović 4

13 February 2024
20:30
Report[dead link] Hungary   10–11   France Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Xavi Buch (ESP), Darren Spiritosanto (USA)
Score by quarters: 4–2, 3–1, 1–3, 2–5
Zalánki 3 Goals Vernoux 5

13–16th place semifinals

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11 February 2024
09:00
Report[dead link] South Africa   5–18   Brazil Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Matan Schwartz (ISR), Giuliana Nicolosi (ITA)
Score by quarters: 4–5, 0–4, 0–3, 1–6
Howard 2 Goals Freitas, R. Real 4

11 February 2024
10:30
Report[dead link] Japan   17–4   Kazakhstan Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Natalia Markopoulou (GRE), Jennifer McCall (USA)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 5–0, 5–2, 4–0
Inaba 3 Goals four players 1

9–12th place semifinals

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13 February 2024
12:00
Report[dead link] China   7–9   Romania Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
György Kun (HUN), Andreia Stanojević (SRB)
Score by quarters: 2–1, 2–2, 1–4, 2–2
Chen Z., Zhang C. 3 Goals Georgescu 3

13 February 2024
13:30
Report[dead link] Australia   10–16   United States Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Alessandro Severo (ITA), Stanko Ivanovski (MNE)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 4–5, 1–3, 2–4
Pavillard 6 Goals Bowen, Woodhead 3

5–8th place semifinals

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15 February 2024
12:00
Report[dead link] Montenegro   13–14   Greece Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Alessandro Severo (ITA), Xavi Buch (ESP)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 3–4, 1–2, 4–2  PSO: 3–4
Đ. Radović 3 Goals Kakaris 3

15 February 2024
14:30
Report[dead link] Serbia   11–10   Hungary Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Andrei Franulovic (CRO), Darren Spiritosanto (USA)
Score by quarters: 5–2, 2–5, 2–1, 2–2
S. Rašović 3 Goals Zalánki 3

Semifinals

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15 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] Spain   6–8   Italy Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), György Kun (HUN)
Score by quarters: 1–1, 1–3, 1–2, 3–2
Larumbe, Munárriz 2 Goals three players 2

15 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Croatia   17–16   France Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Michiel Zwart (NED), Zhang Liang (CHN)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 3–3, 3–1, 2–5  PSO: 6–5
Fatović 3 Goals Bouet 3

15th place game

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13 February 2024
09:00
Report[dead link] South Africa   11–10   Kazakhstan Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
David Couper (NZL), Asumi Tsuzaki (JPN)
Score by quarters: 3–0, 4–3, 1–4, 3–3
Swanepoel 4 Goals Akhmetov 3

13th place game

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13 February 2024
10:30
Report[dead link] Brazil   11–22   Japan Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Zhang Liang (CHN), Nóra Debreceni (HUN)
Score by quarters: 4–6, 2–5, 3–5, 2–6
R. Real 3 Goals Inaba 7

Eleventh place game

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15 February 2024
09:00
Report[dead link] China   7–17   Australia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Andreia Stanojević (SRB), Hélène Painchaud (CAN)
Score by quarters: 2–8, 0–4, 1–4, 4–1
Chen Z. 3 Goals Maksimović, Mercep 4

Ninth place game

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15 February 2024
10:30
Report[dead link] Romania   9–13   United States Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Stanko Ivanovski (MNE), David Couper (NZL)
Score by quarters: 2–5, 2–2, 4–3, 1–3
Georgescu 4 Goals Bowen, Irving 3

Seventh place game

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17 February 2024
10:00
Report[dead link] Montenegro   16–18   Hungary Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Alessandro Severo (ITA), Andreia Stanojević (SRB)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 3–2, 3–3, 5–5  PSO: 2–4
Vujović 4 Goals Zalánki 4

Fifth place game

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17 February 2024
16:00
Report[dead link] Greece   15–11   Serbia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Andrei Franulovic (CRO), Matan Schwartz (ISR)
Score by quarters: 5–2, 3–3, 2–4, 5–2
Gkiouvetsis, Kakaris 3 Goals Drašović 3

Third place game

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17 February 2024
11:30
Report[dead link] Spain   14–10   France Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
György Kun (HUN), Darren Spiritosanto (USA)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 5–3, 2–2, 3–4
Granados, Sanahuja 4 Goals three players 2

Final

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17 February 2024
17:30
Report[dead link] Italy   13–15   Croatia Aspire Dome, Doha
Referees:
Frank Ohme (GER), Sébastien Dervieux (FRA)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 2–3, 2–3, 4–3  PSO: 2–4
Fondelli 5 Goals Kharkov 4

Final ranking

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Statistics and awards

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Top goalscorers

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Rank Name Goals[7] Shots %
1   Thomas Vernoux 26 40 65
2   Andrea Fondelli 20 32 63
3   Francesco Di Fulvio 18 44 41
  Loren Fatović 36 50
  Gergő Zalánki 35 51
6   Vlad-Luca Georgescu 17 40 43
7   Álvaro Granados 16 34 47
8   Alexandre Bouet 15 31 48
  Yusuke Inaba 31 48
  Jerko Marinić Kragić 33 45

Awards

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The awards were announced on 17 February 2024.[2]

All-star team
Goalkeeper   Marco Del Lungo
Centre Forward   Konstantinos Kakaris
Field player   Francesco Di Fulvio
  Álvaro Granados
  Konstantin Kharkov
  Thomas Vernoux
  Gergő Zalánki
Other awards
Most Valuable Player   Francesco Di Fulvio
Best Goalkeeper   Marco Del Lungo

References

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  1. ^ "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Croatia clinches third world crown in penalty-shootout thriller". worldaquatics.com. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Schedule" (pdf). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  4. ^ "World Champs Water Polo Draw: All you need to know!". worldaquatics.com. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Clash between reigning Olympic and world champions opens World Championships in Doha". total-waterpolo.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  6. ^ "World Aquatics Championships - Doha 2024-Final Standings". worldaquatics.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  7. ^ Top scorers[dead link]
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