Renārs Uščins: “Nobody is unbeatable”

But even a top talent can eventually run out of steam. Uščins struggled to find his form last year and picked up several injuries, and there was much debate about who would be the number-one choice at right back for the German team at the Men's EHF EURO 2026. In the opening match against Austria (30:27), the 23-year-old contributed four goals; in the 27:30 defeat to Serbia he was one of the key performers with six goals, but was unable to turn the match around.

Germany were on the brink of elimination. For the first time, the two-time European champions were facing the prospect of heading home before the main round of an EHF EURO. But then Uščins and his teammates hit top form in the decisive match against Spain, won 34:32 and advanced to the main round as group winners with two points.

The pressure of potential failure gave way to the joy of one of their best performances since the 2024 Olympics. With eight goals, Uščins was Germany’s top scorer, was named Player of the Match and, with 18 goals so far, is currently Germany’s leading scorer at the EHF EURO.

“You could feel how much pressure there was, how much we wanted to show the opponent that we are not beatable. Those were honest emotions — everything was there — and our fans gave us an extra push,” says the 23-year-old.

The left-hander with Latvian roots was fully aware of what was at stake.

“Nothing was taken for granted — we knew that since the game against Serbia. We are a young team with little experience, and we had never been in a situation like the one before the Spain match. We were facing a historic debacle, but we managed to avert it,” he adds.

Uščins’ key takeaway, he says, is: “Every player grows in matches like these. Our head coach Alfred Gislason told us beforehand that this game would give us a huge amount. We were more nervous and tense, but we consciously reminded ourselves of the qualities we have. This process will carry us forward, help us build momentum and gain more confidence. Now we’re going full throttle for four matches.”

The German team, including six of those 2023 U21 world champions, now want to carry this momentum into the main round, where world and Olympic champions Denmark as well as EHF EURO title holders France await.

“We played with confidence against Spain and were successful when we were brave and worked for each other. For a young team, we played very maturely and with a lot of responsibility. That’s how we have to approach the other matches as well. The experience from the preliminary round is worth its weight in gold. We don’t want to rely on others anymore, but keep everything in our own hands,” says Uščins.

Uščins is particularly looking forward to the match against hosts and four-time world champions Denmark, tipped as hot favourites for the EHF EURO 2026 title.

“Nobody is unbeatable. We’re going into the game full of confidence, but everyone needs a very good day. These are the matches we’re here for — we want to measure ourselves against the best in the world, we want to break their flow,” Uščins reveals.

The fact that around 15,000 fans will be against him and his team gives Uščins an extra buzz.

“For me, it’s absolutely brilliant to play in front of several thousand spectators, like against France at the Olympics or last year at the World Championship against Denmark. I really enjoy it. These kinds of matches are a reward for your development.”

And can he produce another world-class performance like that historic quarter-final against France?

“The game in Lille was good for my confidence, but I don’t judge my performance by goals — I judge it by how I work for the team. I’m happy to help the team, the energy is back and my feel for the game is returning more and more. There’s more to the game than just shooting at goal.”

Photos © kolektiff images