“A new tricolor star”, the daughter of a player with 2043 goals for the Romanian national team

The “Tricolores” won the second edition of the World Championship, in 1962, they obtained silver in 1973 and 2005 and another bronze medal in 2015. Throughout its rich history, the European team has produced some of the best players to ever step on the field, among them legendary names such as Mariana Tîrcă and Cristina Neagu.

Tîrcă is the all-time top scorer of the Romanian national team, with 2043 goals in 335 selections. She was also included in the ideal team of the 1995 World Cup, where she was named the best center of the competition and one of the main scorers, with 51 goals.

A Romanian handball legend, Tîrcă played domestically for Rulmentul Brașov, Știința Bacău and Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea, before spending several years abroad at Podravka Koprivnica in Croatia, where he won the EHF Champions League in 1996, and at Greek club GAS Anagennisi Artas, where he ended his career in 2000.

Three decades later, his daughter Sorina Grozav shines in the world's most important handball competition, being the top scorer of the 2025 IHF World Championship after six days of competition, with 24 goals.

“For anyone, regardless of age, it's an incredible emotion. Everyone dreams of reaching a World Championship, especially because you face the best players and teams. This is the greatest satisfaction you can have as an athlete”, declares Romania's left winger.

Sorina Grozav / Romania – Croatia, the debut of the tricolors at the World Championship/PHOTO: Ionuț Iordache (GSP.ro)

Grozav (nee Tîrcă) started flirting with this sport from an early age. Her mother immediately felt that she had that specific handball DNA, which would propel her to the highest heights.

“When I was appointed coach at Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea, there was a day dedicated to the press at the club. Everyone wanted a picture of Sorina, because, of course, she was always with me at trainings and matches. And the way she held the ball during that training made me realize that she is a natural talent for handball”, said Mariana Tîrcă.

Later, Sorina's name began to appear more and more often in junior competitions in Romania, confirming that she has a bright future ahead of her.

“Having my mum by my side is priceless. We still argue sometimes, but she gives me the best advice. It's completely natural, no one knows me better than her. Beyond the mother-daughter bond, there is also a special connection through handball. Sometimes it's harder to be the child of a former athlete, because you already know what you did wrong, and then you're told again. But it's constructive criticism, something only she can give me.”says the left wing.

Slowly but surely, she made her mark in international competitions, being the top scorer at the 2015 European U17 Championship with 55 goals and the 2017 European U19 Championship with 56 goals. Her star was on the rise.

“People often look at me through the lens of my mother's career. I think I get special help, but that was never the case. Everything I've achieved has come through hard work and I'm proud to be able to help the teams I play for. I'm also very happy to play in a World Cup and I hope to continue to contribute for my country,” says Romania's current left-back, who has always chosen to play with the number 99, the year of his birth.

At 17, she made her debut for the senior team, but this is her first appearance at a World Championship after a series of injuries delayed her debut in handball's top competition.

At Germany/Netherlands 2025, she provided excellent moments for Romania, constantly being the pillar of the attack. So far, Grozav has scored 24 goals, being tied with the Swedish Clara Lerby at the top of the scorers' ranking.

He also provided 11 assists, contributing directly to 35 of Romania's 95 goals, and spent 106 minutes on the pitch out of the team's 180 in the preliminary phase. His connection with the pivot Lorena Ostase was praised by everyone who watched Romania's matches.

“Honestly, it's a great pride to be among the top scorers at the World Championship. But what I really want is for us to achieve something as a team, to win a medal or reach the quarter-finals. That would bring me much more joy than any individual success,” adds Grozav.

“We've changed a lot as a team and we're happy about that, but there's still a lot to improve. We still feel some shortcomings in difficult moments. Even in yesterday's game against Denmark, our defense wasn't as solid as it should have been, especially after the 35th minute, so we have to seriously work on that.”

For Romania, ranked 10th, 12th, 13th and 12th in the last editions of the World Championship, a break into the top 10 would confirm the progress of the team and the achievement of its maximum potential, after years of sailing through troubled waters.

“We are a united team that works hard and never gives up. We are happy because we have raised our level of play compared to last year and we hope to continue to improve and reach higher goals,” said Grozav.

But, besides handball, her thoughts also turn to her family. In April 2024, Grozav gave birth to a baby boy, Caesar. Attending the World Championship also means being away from her son, who is always present at his club matches, Corona Brașov, a team coached in the past by Mariana Tîrcă and where Sorina took her first steps in handball.

“Yes, it's very hard, but the satisfaction of being here and having the chance to play important matches makes it all worth it,” Grozav concluded.