Monaco’s rugby sevens team made an impressive start to its European Championship campaign, claiming a historic silver medal at the opening stage of the competition in Croatia and confirming its status as one of the tournament’s rising contenders.
Competing in Europe’s second-tier Trophy division, the Monegasque side demonstrated resilience, determination and an exciting attacking style throughout the weekend. Despite suffering an early setback in the group stage, Monaco responded strongly, finishing second in its pool to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
The quarterfinal against Hungary proved to be a pivotal moment. In a tightly contested encounter, Monaco delivered a disciplined performance to secure a 14-5 victory and advance to the semifinals.
Awaiting them was Romania, the very team that had handed Monaco its opening defeat of the tournament. Showing remarkable character and team spirit, the Principality’s players produced one of their strongest performances of the competition to overturn the earlier result and book a place in the final. The victory marked a significant milestone, as Monaco reached the Trophy competition final for the first time in its history.
In the championship match, Monaco faced a formidable Swiss side that proved difficult to contain. Despite the team’s efforts, Switzerland controlled the final and secured a 29-0 victory to claim the title.
While the final result fell short of gold, Monaco left Croatia with plenty to celebrate. The silver medal represented one of the team’s strongest performances on the European stage, earning them second place in the overall standings and valuable championship points.
The result highlighted the continued development of rugby sevens in the Principality and demonstrated Monaco’s ability to compete with some of Europe’s strongest emerging teams.
With confidence high and momentum firmly on their side, Monaco now turns its attention to the second stage of the European Championship in Chișinău, Moldova, where the team will look to build on this breakthrough performance and continue its pursuit of promotion.