Spain's men's water polo team overcame Croatia by 10-11 in a tense final that was decided by a fantastic goal from Alberto Granados in front of a silent home crowd, shattering their dreams of winning the championship on home soil. They also earned another reward - qualification for Paris 2024.

Under the guidance of David Martin, the team overcame an early 6-3 deficit to win European gold. The turning point came with a goal from Terrassa-born Catalan Alvaro Granados, who was also named MVP. His spectacular goal, with just 48 seconds remaining, sealed both the title and a place at Paris 2024. Just a minute earlier, the 25-year-old player had equalised for Spain, leaving an indelible mark on water polo history. 

With this historic achievement, Spain secured the top spot in the Men's European Water Polo Championship, a feat that had eluded them in the past, as well as a ticket to Paris 2024.

The Spanish team had a remarkable start to the year in this discipline, reaching both finals of the European Water Polo Championships, albeit with different results. While the men narrowly beat the hosts, the women suffered a setback against the Netherlands in Eindhoven, losing 7-8. Nevertheless, they qualified for the Olympic Games via the World Championships