Performance Indicators in Elite Croatian Women’s Handball: A Longitudinal Analysis

The analysis of performance indicators in modern sport has an increasingly important impact on a better understanding of trends in sports games, including handball. The aim of this study was to determine which defensive, offensive, and transition variables influence the final team ranking between successful and less successful teams. The analysis included a total of 3,044 matches of the First Croatian Women’s Handball League (1st HRL) from 2011 to 2020, covering nine competitive seasons. Twenty seven variables describing offensive play, defensive play, transition phases, and goalkeeper performance were analyzed. Teams were classified as successful or less successful according to their final placement in the season. The results showed statistically significant differences between successful and less successful teams in the combination of the observed variables (Wilks’ Lambda =0.47; p