The German women’s team are European champions for the tenth time overall and for the third time in a row since 2021.
At the European Team Championships in Zadar, Croatia, Sabine WINTER, Annett KAUFMANN, Nina MITTELHAM, Yuan WAN and Mia GRIESEL defeated their long-time rivals Romania 3–0, successfully defending the title they won two years ago, once again without losing a single individual match throughout the tournament. Bronze medalists were Portugal and the Netherlands.
In the opening match, 19-year-old Annett KAUFMANN started with explosive energy, taking the first game 11–4 against Romania’s No. 1 Bernadette SZÖCS. That came as a surprise, as KAUFMANN had never won even a single game in their two previous international encounters, most recently losing 0–4 at last year’s European Championships in Linz.
“I didn’t go into the match confident because of our head-to-head record,” KAUFMANN admitted. “But I told myself: I’ve got nothing to lose. Suddenly I was up 9–3 in the first game, and that’s when I felt the confidence, I told myself, this match is mine.”
SZÖCS fought back to level the score and took the second game 12–10. KAUFMANN responded brilliantly, going up 8–1 in the third and regaining the lead 11–8. SZÖCS equalised once more, but the young German completely dominated the decider, racing to 5–0 at the change of ends and sealing the win 11–5, a massive first point for Germany.
Next up, Sabine WINTER once again displayed her growing confidence and composure. Against 2015 European champion Elizabeta SAMARA, she took the first two games before the Romanian mounted a comeback, reducing the gap and leading 7–4 in the fourth. Then WINTER switched gears, winning seven points in a row to close the match 3–1.
The closing match brought a sense of déjà vu from Malmö 2023, as Nina MITTELHAM faced Andreea DRAGOMAN, the same opponent she had edged out in a five-set thriller last time. Once again, the duel was tight.
MITTELHAM, who rejoined the team in the knockout rounds after recovering from illness, took the first two games 14–12 and 11–8, dropped the third, and then finished strong to secure the championship 3–1.
“When it really matters, when the opponents are stronger, that’s when I start to play better,” said MITTELHAM, visibly relieved after the match. “I’m glad the other two gave me a 2–0 lead; that made it a bit easier. I hadn’t played many matches since my injury break, so every match helps me get back into rhythm. I even joked before the tournament that we should keep our 3–0 streak going, and now we really did it all the way to the title!”
She also praised her teammates: “Annett played unbelievably well, she had never beaten Szöcs before. And Sabine was rock solid against Samara, just as I imagined she would be.”
On their way to a tenth European title, Germany did not lose a single team or individual match. Their unbeaten run stretches back to 2021, encompassing 17 consecutive team victories, including twelve consecutive straight 3–0 wins.
Sabine WINTER: “I’m just super grateful for this experience and for being able to fight with this team. When you win the European Championships, it’s an incredible feeling.
“When we were leading 2–0 in matches, I started to believe strongly. I had a lot of confidence in Nina, she always manages tough matches so well. After that, we could be calmer, not relaxed, but confident.”
Dominant Record in Europe
Germany remains one of the most successful nations in the history of the European Team Championships, boasting ten titles, 1962, 1968, 1996, 1998, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2023, and 2025. They have finished as runners-up five times (1982, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2017) and taken bronze twice (1986, 2007).
With this tenth title, Germany moves ahead of Hungary on the all-time winners’ list, the Hungarians claimed nine golds between the 1960s and 2007.
Romania has claimed the title five times (1992, 2002, 2005, 2017, 2019), finished runners-up seven times (1958, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2023), and taken eight bronze medals (1960, 1964, 1978, 1980, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2008). Remarkably, since 2011, Romania reached the final in every edition of the Championships except 2014.
Portugal and the Netherlands Share Bronze
Portugal confirmed their consistency at the European Team Championships by finishing third once again, matching their results from 2021 and 2023, after claiming silver in 2019.
The team of Jieni SHAO, Fu YU, Julia LEAL, and Matilde PINTO reached the semi-finals, where their campaign was halted by defending champions Germany.
The Netherlands made a triumphant return to the medal rostrum, winning bronze for the first time since 2017. With the experienced duo Britt EERLAND and Jie LI back in the lineup, they led Shuohan MEN and Tanja HELLE to another podium finish.
The Netherlands boast a proud record at the European Championships, with four consecutive gold medals (2008–2011), one silver (1992), and two bronzes (1988, 2017).
Final – Women’s Team
Romania – Germany 0–3
Bernadette SZÖCS – Annett KAUFMANN 2–3 (4–11, 11–9, 8–11, 11–6, 5–11)
Elizabeta SAMARA – Sabine WINTER 1–3 (5–11, 8–11, 11–8, 7–11)
Andreea DRAGOMAN – Nina MITTELHAM 1–3 (12–14, 8–11, 11–8, 5–11)
