At the end of a well-run competition, the French team was crowned European champion.
A few months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the French men’s handball team had to show that it would be the favorite at home as the girls were able to do a few months ago by being crowned world champions. A mission perfectly executed for Guillaume Gille’s gang with this fourth European title acquired in Cologne, Germany on Sunday January 28. As in the semi-final, the Blues were often behind and snatched extra time in the last minutes against the Danes, reigning world champions and tormentors of the Blues for several years. We win this Euro, a competition that we haven’t won for ten years, Ludovic Fabregas said on BeIN Sports after the final. It’s magical (…) We are often behind but never too far behind. We knew how to hold on, we knew how to show mentality. The team was able to hold on and go to overtime. (…) We assumed our responsibilities. It’s a team win.”
Before qualifying for the final, the Blues had an almost perfect run with only one small hiccup during the second match of the first round with a fairly unexpected draw against Switzerland. This setback was quickly swept away when the Blues won a few days later against Germany, host country of the competition and supported by an absolutely incredible crowd in the land of handball. This draw was therefore the only false note of this Euro for the Blues since they subsequently had 4 consecutive victories against Croatia, Iceland, Austria and Hungary in the main round.
And for this reason just above. Facing Sweden, the reigning European champion, the France team played with fire. Leading quite well at the break (6), the Blues completely foiled in the second half to arrive in the 59th minute of the match with a two-goal deficit. After a first goal from Lenne and a market sanctioned by the referees, the rest is now history with this throw from 12 meters from Elohim Prandi.
