The current study analyzes the structure of the attack of the two best classified teams in the XVII World Championship, celebrated in Portugal in 2003, respect to its space parameters. Eighteen handball games (the nine played by each team in the Championship) were observed and their data were transferred to a computer. We analyzed the distances from which finalized the attack against 6:0 and 5:1 defensive systems when the initial offensive system were transformed and when not. The results

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... te that both teams used different strategies at the time of making responsible to a player or another one in transforming the system. Also, we found significant differences in Croatian team when they finalized against 5:1 defensive system from 6 to 9m. playing with and without transformation (p=,021). In the same way, the Croatian team was significantly more effective playing with transformation when finalized from that distance (6 to 9m.) than when they did it from more than 9m (p=,013) KEY WORDS: Handball; Offensive system; Transformation; Defensive systems.