Iker Romero to lead Austria

Posted on 29. April 2025.

As a player, the Spaniard was among the greats of his time, winning every European competition at club level, including twice the EHF Champions League, and becoming a World Champion in 2005 with the Spanish national team, for which he made 200 appearances. Starting this summer, Iker Romero will succeed Aleš Pajovič as head coach of the Austrian men’s national handball team. His contract will run for three years.

A side note: After beginning his professional career with BM Valladolid, Ademar León, and Ciudad Real, Iker Romero moved to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2003. In the same year, a certain Aleš Pajovič joined Ciudad Real to replace him. Now, as coaches, the two are once again handing over the baton — this time with the Austrian national team.

Romero takes over a national team riding high. In 2020 and 2024, Austria achieved their best ever placements at the Men’s EHF EURO, finishing eighth. At the 2025 World Championship, they reached the main round for the first time since the tournament format was changed in 2019.

As a player, the 44-year-old was one of Spain’s greatest. He won almost everything there was to win at club level: two EHF Champions League titles (with FC Barcelona), multiple Spanish Cup and Copa del Rey titles (with Ademar León, Ciudad Real, and Barcelona), three Spanish League titles (with Barcelona and León), a European Super Cup (with Barcelona), two Cup Winners’ Cups (with Ciudad Real), and the DHB-Pokal and EHF Cup (now called EHF European League) in 2015 with Füchse Berlin.

For the Spanish national team, Romero played 200 matches and scored 753 goals — making him second in Spain’s all-time scoring list.

He was part of the team that secured Spain’s first major title at the 2005 World Championship. He also won silver at the 2006 EHF EURO, bronze at the 2008 Olympics, and another bronze at the 2011 World Championship.

His coaching career began in 2017 as an assistant to Antonio Carlos Ortega, now FC Barcelona’s head coach, at German Bundesliga club TSV Hannover-Burgdorf. In 2021, he took over his first team as head coach, SG BBM Bietigheim, and led them to promotion to the DAIKIN Handball Bundesliga in 2024.

In the coming season, Romero will still serve in a dual role — coaching both SG BBM Bietigheim and the Austrian national team. From summer 2026, he will focus exclusively on his role with the ÖHB (Austrian Handball Federation). His contract runs until summer 2028.

Aleš Pajovič hopes to leave his successor a special gift: qualification for the EHF EURO 2026.

Iker Romero, future ÖHB head coach, stated: “Taking over the Austrian national team is a great honor for me. Since the first conversation, I’ve been thinking about the first training and first match with the boys. The national team is doing really well at the moment. I’m someone who believes in a system but I will keep the things that are working well. It will be important to give the players their freedoms, but I will also bring in my ideas. I see potential for improvement and development, and that’s what we’ll work on, bringing in my experience.”

Markus Plazer, ÖHB President, added: “Our main goal is to continue along the successful path we’ve started. We are convinced that Iker Romero will help develop the team even further, creating many more unique moments for Austrian handball and the fans. Qualifying for the 2028 Olympics is a dream we hope to achieve. We all know it’s a long and difficult journey, but this team has already proven that they can push boundaries and achieve extraordinary things.”

Bernd Rabenseifner, ÖHB Secretary General, said: “We are very happy to have secured such a renowned coach for our men’s national team! This shows how much respect the national team has gained in Europe in recent years and how attractive Austrian handball has become for top international personalities. We are confident that Iker Romero’s appointment will continue the national team’s successful era under Aleš Pajovič — with the aim of establishing Austria as a regular participant at major tournaments. We also hope that our youth national teams, academies, and clubs will benefit from Iker Romero’s knowledge, experience, and work, helping to take Austrian handball to the next level.”

Patrick Fölser, ÖHB Sports Director, commented: “We are delighted that Iker Romero chose Austria. His experience as a Spanish national team player at major tournaments, as well as his coaching experience in the German Bundesliga, were crucial factors in his hiring. From the first conversation, he was full of energy and sees great potential in the Austrian men’s national team, just as we do. His commitment to spending significant time in Austria starting from his second contract year, working closely with youth coaches, was an important part of the overall concept. Iker is an open, approachable coach with a clear vision of handball. Alongside his experience, he brings passion and enthusiasm, and we are convinced he will be a great fit for our team and for the ÖHB. All these aspects convinced us that he is the right man to lead the men’s national team and contribute to the development of Austrian handball.”

Romero will succeed Aleš Pajovič, to whom the ÖHB expresses deep gratitude: “Over the past six years as head coach, Aleš Pajovič has moved the national team a big step forward and left a lasting mark on Austrian handball both as a coach and as a person. Together, we now want to end his time with a positive achievement — qualification for the EHF EURO 2026 — and give him the farewell he deserves in Graz, as the most successful men’s team coach in ÖHB history.”

Iker Romero – Personal Profile