Imagine a tiny village, just 80 people strong, hidden near the Spanish border in the Alandroal municipality. Now picture that village’s rugby club, known as ‘the barbos,’ conquering Europe. That’s exactly what Rugby de Juromenha did this past weekend, lifting the European Beach Rugby Championship trophy in Chisinau, Moldova. It’s a story of unexpected champions.
This isn’t just some random team showing up. The Portuguese Rugby Federation invited the Alentejo club to the tournament. Why? Because they had already proved themselves. They had won the national beach rugby circuit, earning them the title of national champions. This gave them the right to represent their country on the big stage.
Their journey through the championship was impressive. In the group stage, they powered past teams from Romania, Ukraine, and Poland. When the semi-finals arrived, the Juromenha squad showed their dominance. They beat Lithuania with a clear 7-1 score, booking their spot in the final. The ultimate showdown saw them face the host nation, Moldova. In a hard-fought match, the ‘barbos’ stood tall, beating Moldova 7-4 to claim the European title.
What makes this team truly special goes beyond the scores. They are a unique club made up of invited players. For five years now, this small village team has been proudly carrying Portugal’s name to competitions all over the world. They show that dedication and teamwork can come from anywhere, no matter how small the starting point.
These are the champions who made it happen:
- Diogo Ribeiro
- Pedro Jaleco (captain)
- Francisco Almeida
- Frederico Couto
- João Vieira
- João Pedro Gouveia
- Manuel Rosa
- Simão Costa Pereira