We can therefore become world champions again, six years after the second coronation in its history in 2017, at the end of an adventure started by a success as short as it was worrying against Angola (30-29). Because yes, this is the feat achieved on Sunday in Herning (Denmark) by the French women’s handball team, marvelous in taming in the final, and for the second time in the tournament, the formidable Norwegian armada (31-28 ). “We started low, we built ourselves up, we told the story hotly for beIN SPORTS Tamara Horacek. It was a fight throughout the competition, we played with our guts, and this is where it took us. »
On the roof of the world, where the stainless Olivier Krumbholz had already led the Bleues in 2003 and 2017. Apostle of the collective, the 65-year-old French coach could not help but spontaneously highlight “the exceptional and incredible performance » by Léna Grandveau. At the age of 20, the Nantes center-half scored the last four goals for the French team on Sunday with incredible composure. “It still saved France a little at a time when Norway was coming back strongly and we could no longer find a solution in attack,” summarized Olivier Krumbholz.
“The supreme objective remains the Games”
“It was a little unexpected for me,” smiled the person concerned. I arrived last year as a young person, everything is new to me. » Replacement goalkeeper Hatadou Sako may be older (28 years old), but we did not expect her to be at this level at such an international summit. And this to take a decisive relay from Laura Glauser in the second period (four saves). “That’s what’s incredible about this French team: no one is essential and everyone contributes,” says Amandine Leynaud, former emblematic goalkeeper of the Blues and now part of the French staff.
This ultimate demonstration of French collective strength now has an appointment with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in seven months. “There, we did not arrive in the best conditions, with girls coming out of injury,” recalls Olivier Krumbholz. We can be better than that next summer. It’s great to be world champions, but the ultimate goal remains the Games. » The players are well aware of this, like Laura Glauser: “We of course want to go for this Olympic medal”. And the Blue goalkeeper does not need to specify the color.