In the quiet corridors of a hotel in Tbilisi this week, a tall, sturdy man with the focused gaze of a veteran commander paces the floor.
David Pisonero is 4,200 kilometers away from his home in Valladolid, Spain, but his mind is occupied by a singular, complex mission: leading the Israeli National Handball team through a gauntlet of war, displacement, and a desperate drought of international success.
On Sunday morning, the Israeli squad took off for Georgia to face the local national team in a crucial double-header for the second round of the World Cup qualifiers. The stakes are set for two decisive afternoon clashes: the first leg on Thursday at 4 p.m. Israel time, followed by the second leg on Saturday at 2 p.m. Israel time. It is a mission born of necessity and resilience.
Operation Roaring Lion shifts the goalposts for matches in Israel
While the European Handball Federation (EHF) had briefly flirted with returning matches to Israeli soil, the ongoing “Roaring Lion” war shifted the goalposts once again. Now, Israel must seek its “home” on foreign ground, relying on a 52-year-old Spanish architect to build a foundation amidst the ruins of a disrupted season.
Pisonero’s relationship with Israeli handball began in a very different diplomatic climate. He officially signed his contract with the Israel Handball Association in September 2024, a move that predated the recent and severe cooling of relations between Madrid and Jerusalem. Since his signing, the political landscape has shifted dramatically, culminating in Spain's historic low of recalling its ambassador from Israel.
Yet, despite the diplomatic storm and the pressure of being a prominent Spaniard representing an Israeli national symbol, Pisonero has remained steadfast.
His deep roots in the sport have been passed down to the next generation. Pisonero is a father of two, both of whom excel at the highest levels of Spanish handball. His 21-year-old son is a medical student who plays professionally under his father’s guidance at Valladolid and is a member of the Spanish Under-21 national team. His 15-year-old daughter is already a rising talent in the Spanish youth national team. For a coach whose own children wear the “La Roja” jersey, the decision to lead the blue-and-white squad during a peak of international tension is a powerful testament to his sporting integrity. In a world where geopolitical friction often bleeds into the arena, Pisonero’s commitment to his September pledge serves as a rare bridge between two nations currently at odds.
Pisonero is a man living a frantic, high-stakes double life. Just days ago, he was on the sidelines leading his club team, Recoletas Atlético Valladolid, against the juggernaut of FC Barcelona in the Copa de España final. Though they fell 32-24, Pisonero’s stock has never been higher. During the post-match analysis, he reflected on the sheer physical challenge of facing elite rotations, noting how the constant pressure and fresh legs of a top-tier opponent act as a relentless force that eventually grinds down any defense. It is this exact level of sustained intensity he is now trying to transplant into the Israeli DNA.
“I am the coach of my town, my team,” Pisonero tells me, reflecting on his decade-long tenure at Valladolid. “But when Israel offered me this, I saw a big chance. Staying active in Liga ASOBAL, one of the best leagues in the world, gives me a sharper edge. I bring the highest level of European handball directly to the Israeli locker room every time I step off a plane. You cannot teach modern handball from a textbook; you have to live it every weekend against teams like Barcelona.”
His résumé is a testament to the “Spanish School” of handball that has conquered the globe. A former pivot who reached the pinnacle of club handball by winning the IHF Super Globe (Club World Championship) in 1997 with Cantabria Santander, Pisonero eventually took the reins at RK Vardar Skopje. His time in North Macedonia was a baptism by fire, managing one of the most volatile and demanding fan bases in Europe.
“In Skopje, I learned how to handle the weight of a nation’s expectations,” he notes. “That experience is vital now, because the Israeli sports culture shares that same Mediterranean heat, the passion, the pressure, and the absolute refusal to accept defeat.”
“I am totally disconnected from the headlines,” he says firmly when asked about the recall of the Spanish ambassador. “I am a coach. My opinion on politics is not important. When I told my family I was taking the job back in September 2024, they trusted me. They felt my comfort. My family, my wife and kids, they see this through my eyes. They aren’t stressed because they see the commitment of the players and the professionalism of the Israeli federation. For us, the court is the only territory that matters.”
This disconnect is essential. For Israel, handball has reached a crossroads. The national team hasn’t reached a major tournament since the 2002 European Championships in Sweden. For nearly a quarter-century, the “missing ingredient” has eluded them, and Pisonero believes the issue is as much about tactical maturity as it is about physical preparation.
Pisonero’s assessment of the Israeli player is a blend of admiration and clinical analysis.
“There is a ‘spirit’ in Israel that you don’t find in many places,” he says. “These guys are fighters by nature. They are tough, they are aggressive, and they have a natural talent for direct, fast-paced handball. But talent without rhythm is like a car without fuel.
“I have been delighted with them in every training session,” he continues. “They are so concentrated, so focused. But I’ve told them: you cannot just play with your heart; you must play with your head. We are working on ‘the meter and the second,’ the small details that define high-level European matches. The Israeli player tends to be very emotional on the court. My job is to take that fire and channel it into a rigid tactical system.”
To bridge the gap caused by the domestic league’s hiatus, Pisonero is leaning heavily on his “Legionnaires.” Key to this mission is Yahav Shamir, the standout goalkeeper playing for Hüttenberg in the 2. Handball-Bundesliga.
“Yahav is our backbone,” Pisonero says. “In Germany, he faces world-class shooters every week. That gives him a psychological advantage that filters down to our defense. He isn’t intimidated by anyone.”
He is joined by Daniel Mosindi, the versatile talent who plays for the Hungarian powerhouse Tatabánya, and Yoav Lumbroso of Dinamo Bucharest.
“These players are the bridge,” Pisonero explains. “Lumbroso has been in Europe for eight seasons. He understands that the difference between a win and a loss in the Champions League is often a single correct decision made under extreme fatigue. Daniel Mosindi brings that same European physical edge. They are the leaders because they have the rhythm that the local players, through no fault of their own, have lost during the war.”
The immediate task is Georgia, a team Pisonero describes as physical and dangerous. He identifies their primary threat as Giorgi Tskhovrebadze, the prolific right back who currently stars for RK Zagreb.
“Tskhovrebadze is a world-class talent,” Pisonero warns. “He is playing at the highest level in Croatia and the Champions League. He is the kind of player who can score double-figure goals a game if you give him an inch of space. Our entire defensive scheme is built around neutralizing him.”
“But I want the focus to be on us,” he adds. “The big problem we have is the lack of competition for the local guys. They need the ‘wisdom’ of the game that only comes from playing 60 minutes of high-intensity handball. We have worked a lot on our defense. In the last qualifiers, Israel missed out by just two goals. It was heartbreakingly close. We must remember the feeling of those matches in Serbia and Poland, the grit we showed away from home. We are essentially playing two ‘away’ games here in Tbilisi, so mental toughness is the most important quality they can bring to the court.”
Beyond Georgia looms a scenario that feels scripted for a sports movie. If Israel overcomes this round, the final hurdle for the World Cup will be Pisonero’s own home: Spain. Facing “Los Hispanos,” the two-time World and European champions, would be the ultimate test of professional loyalty.
“I wish we could talk about that match because it would mean we succeeded here,” Pisonero says with a wistful smile. “Knocking out the world’s greatest giant, which is also my home? It would be amazing. It would prove that Israel is finally fighting among the elite. My intimate knowledge of the Spanish system would certainly be a ‘secret weapon,’ but let’s be realistic, the gap is huge. However, the only way to close that gap is to face it head-on.”
Pisonero is a firm believer in the “Iceland Model,” the idea that a small nation can become a handball superpower through consistent coaching and exporting players to top leagues.
“I see the potential in the Under-21s,” he says. “The new talent in Israel is real. They are tough, they have character. But we need to keep sending them to Europe. We need more players in Germany, France, and Spain. That is the only way to make Israel a consistent presence in the Euros and World Cups.”
As the Israeli delegation settles into Tbilisi, the window represents more than just a qualifying round; it is a chance for a new narrative for a sport that has long lived in the shadow of football and basketball.
“When I stand on the sidelines on Thursday, and the Israeli anthem plays, it won’t be about politics for me,” Pisonero concludes. “It will be about the players in that locker room who have sacrificed so much to be here. My message to the fans back home is simple: Enjoy. This is a big moment for Israeli handball. We are going to show what we want and what we can achieve. Let’s go, let’s play, and let’s enjoy the fight.”
Whether the Spanish architect can finally lead Israel across the threshold of a major tournament remains to be seen. But in the cold air of Georgia, David Pisonero is already laying the bricks, one tactical drill at a time, building a house that he hopes will finally stand the test of time.