Two EHF Champions League titles represent the peak of the career for Danijel Šarić, a goalkeeper who maintained an extensive presence in professional handball across three decades. Born in 1977 in Doboj, his path through multiple national teams and club systems established him as a versatile athlete holding citizenship in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Qatar, and Yugoslavia.
Early Career and Yugoslavian Success
Šarić began his development at his hometown club, Sloga Doboj, before advancing to Borac Banja Luka. His transition to Crvena zvezda in FR Yugoslavia marked his initial period of major success, where he secured consecutive national championships in 1997 and 1998. By 1999, he moved to Sintelon, where he added the 1999–2000 Handball Cup of FR Yugoslavia to his trophy cabinet.
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In 2003, Šarić moved to Spain, signing with Ciudad Real. He spent his contract duration on loan at Cantabria and Alcobendas. Subsequent stints at Ademar León and Portland San Antonio preceded a significant seven-season tenure at Barcelona beginning in 2009. During this time, he collected numerous domestic honors, including six league titles and four Copa ASOBAL victories. He also won the IHF Men's Super Globe in 2013 and 2014, while receiving multiple individual accolades for his goalkeeping statistics.
International Transitions
The international career of Šarić spanned three different nations. Initially representing FR Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro, he competed at the 2005 World Championship and 2006 European Championship. Following a brief period playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 2012 Euro qualifiers, he opted to represent Qatar in 2014. As part of the Qatari national team, he earned a silver medal at the 2015 World Championship and three consecutive gold medals at the Asian Championships from 2016 to 2020.
Qatar World Championship Controversy
The 2015 World Championship performance involving Šarić drew international scrutiny due to the high number of naturalized athletes in the Qatari squad. Reports indicated that only four of the seventeen players on the roster were native to Qatar. Critics, including opposing players, raised concerns regarding the composition of the team and the standard of officiating during the tournament, particularly during the semifinal match against Poland.
Fast facts
- Born: 1977, Doboj
- Citizenships: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Qatar, Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro
- EHF Champions League Titles: 2011, 2015
- Primary Position: Goalkeeper
- Languages: Arabic
- Olympic Participation: 2016 Summer Olympics
Questions readers ask
Which international teams has Danijel Šarić represented?
He played for Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Qatar.
What is his most notable achievement with the Qatari national team?
He helped the team win a silver medal at the 2015 World Championship, the first medal for an Asian team in the competition's history.
Achievements
- Represented FC Barcelona Handbol, RK Crvena zvezda and RK Sintelon Bačka Palanka
- Competed at 2016 Summer Olympics
- Discipline: handball
