Spain successfully defended the title in men’s water polo at the World Aquatics Championships 2025 in Singapore beating Hungary 15-13 in the final match in Thursday.
Felipe Perrone, the oldest player in the competition, played his farewell match in what was his 14th and final world aquatics championships.
The 39-year-old scored two goals in the final, including the decider with just 18 seconds remaining. He has represented both Spain and Brazil over a career spanning two decades and five Olympic Games.
Bernat Sanahuja emerged as a key contributor for Spain with five goals.
This was Spain’s fourth men’s world title, equaling the records of Hungary and Italy.
Hungary, which entered the final seeking a record-fifth title, fought valiantly but ultimately settled for silver.
Despite entering the fourth quarter with a one-goal lead, Zsolt Varga’s side could not withstand the Spanish onslaught and ultimately fell short.
Interestingly, the two teams had already faced off earlier in the tournament, a match that also ended in a Spanish victory—secured by a dominant 5–1 run in the final quarter.
Spain reached the final match with a 12-9 win over Greece, while Hungarian men’s team secured its place by defeating reigning Olympic champions Serbia 19–18 in a thrilling semi-final.
The two sides had also faced earlier this year in the World Cup group stage in January, where Spain narrowly edged Hungary 12-11.
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Earlier, Hungary overcame Spain in the 2020 European Championship final, winning in a shootout to claim its 13th continental title.
Historically, Hungary leads the all-time record between the two teams, with 12 wins, five losses, and one draw. However, in recent years, Spain has been delivering powerful performance consistently, steadily asserting itself as a rising powerhouse in international water polo.
Greece captured the bronze medal with a commanding 16-7 win over Serbia.
Notably, Hungarian women’s water polo team also fell in the final, losing 12-9 to Greece.
