Dragan Pechmalbec joined the Serbian national team less than a year ago, but the line player already has a strong sense of national identity and pride for the country with which he will make his EHF EURO debut.
Born to a French father and a Serbian mother, Pechmalbec decided to play for Serbia last year.
“I don’t feel like I am betraying anyone, to be honest. I’ve got Serbian blood in my veins and I never denied my origins. I lived in France all my life but I feel half Serbian,” he said back then.
Fast forward eight months and here is the 26-year-old, ready to play his first EHF EURO.
“I am super-excited,” he says. “This competition will be very special to me for many reasons, and the three upcoming games mean so much to me. We are playing in Hungary, a country I will move to next summer, against France, the country where I was born, and also against Croatia. I know how fierce the rivalry is between Serbia and Croatia so it is super exciting as well.”
With the city of Szeged not being far away from the Balkans, Pechmalbec will be able to count on special support during the whole week.
“My cousins and my uncle live in Belgrade, so they will be coming over for the game against Croatia this weekend,” he adds.
Family feeling
His first months in the Serbian squad have been, Pechmalbec says, “amazing”.
“It feels like I’m the new member of the family. This team is almost the cliché of the Serbian way of life, very welcoming and taking you for who you are. I’ve known the Serbian culture since I was born, so it is no surprise to me, though,” Pechmalbec says.
After a preparation that has been plagued with Covid-19, the team led by Toni Gerona is now ready to take on the EHF EURO 2022. After being infected himself shortly after the New Year, the HBC Nantes player is eager to bounce back.
“I spent five days alone in my room, including my birthday, that was not fun. I’m so happy to be back with the squad now,” he smiles, visibly happy to be able to run on the court.
On Thursday, Serbia will try to pave their way to the main round with an opening win against Ukraine. They need the victory if they want to progress.
“I expect it to be a game with many mistakes, a lot of tension. The strongest team mentally will be able to get the points, if you ask me,” says Pechmalbec, who thinks that Serbia are almost unbreakable when it comes to mental strength.
“It has always been the main strength of our team. There might be players better than us, but we never will give up. I think the preparation, when we had to go through so much, has made us even stronger. I can’t wait to start,” he concludes.
