Domen Makuc

Domen Makuc
Personal information
Born	(2000-07-01) 1 July 2000 (age 25) Postojna, Slovenia
Nationality	Slovenian
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current club	FC Barcelona
Number	35
Youth career
Years	Team
0000–2009	RK Gold Club Kozina
2009–2015	RK Škerjanc Jadran Hrpelje-Kozina
2015–2016	RK Celje
Senior clubs
Years	Team
2016–2020	RK Celje
2020–	FC Barcelona
National team
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–	Slovenia	35	(98)

Domen Makuc (born 1 July 2000) is a Slovenian handball player. He plays as a centre back for FC Barcelona and the Slovenian national team. ^[1] He participated at the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship. ^[2]

Career

In playing for RK Celje in the 2016–17 EHF Champions League, Makuc became the first player born in the twenty-first century to feature in the competition. ^[3] That same year, he became the first born in the twenty-first century to score in it. ^{[4] [5]} After signing with Barça, he was awarded the player of the match award on his debut in a victory over BM Benidorm in the Supercopa ASOBAL. ^[6] He made his international debut for Slovenia against the Netherlands in 2021. Makuc was the top scorer in a key 2022–23 EHF Champions League group match against THW Kiel. ^[7] Considered one of the best young players in the world, he has been compared to his idol, Ivano Balic. ^{[8] [9]} Makuc was expected to play a significant role for Barça ahead of the 2023–24 season following the departure of Luka Cindrić, but suffered a serious knee injury in pre-season ^[10] Makuc missed the 2024 European Men's Handball Championship as a result. ^{[11] [12]}

Honours

Celje

• Slovenian First League
  • Winner: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
• Slovenian Cup
  • Winner: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
• Slovenian Supercup
  • Winner: 2016, 2017, 2019
  • Runner-up: 2018

Barcelona

• EHF Champions League
  • Winner: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24
  • Runner-up: 2019–20
• Liga ASOBAL
  • Winner: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
• Copa del Rey
  • Winner: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
• Copa ASOBAL
  • Winner: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
• Supercopa ASOBAL
  • Winner: 2020–21, 2021–22
• Iberian Supercup
  • Winner: 2022, 2023, 2024
• Catalan Super Cup
  • Winner: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Individual honours

• EHF Excellence Awards : Rookie of the Season 2022/23 ^[13]

References

1. "MAKUC, DOMEN". EHF. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
2. "SLOVENIA THROW OFF MAIN ROUND WITH BIG WIN". International Handball Federation. IHF. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
3. "35. Makuc". fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
4. "Domen Makuc: Top facts to know about Slovenia's rising star". olympics.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
5. "THE YEAR 2000 MAKES IT ONTO THE SCORESHEET". ehfeuro.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
6. RIGUEIRA, ÁNGEL (29 August 2020). "18-38: El Barça tritura al Benidorm para ganar su novena Supercopa de España consecutiva". mundodeportivo.com. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
7. Perez, Lluis Carles. "26-24: El Barça regala a Tomàs una batalla de colosos ante el Kiel". mundodeportivo. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
8. "'THE NEW BALIC' FULFILS DREAM AT BARÇA". ehfeuro.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
9. "BOOM: Barca Lassa to sign "new Balic" Domen Makuc?". handball-planet.com. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
10. Pérez, Lluís Carles (27 February 2024). "Domen Makuc: "Lo más duro ya lo he pasado, se ve el progreso"". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
11. "Domen Makuc seriously injured". handball-planet.com. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
12. "Se confirman los peores temores con la lesión de Domen Makuc". mundodeportivo. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
13. "Danish players snap up big awards". EHF. Retrieved 26 June 2023.