Everything could have been really romantic now. With medals around their necks and in their hands, Markus Gaugisch and Ingo Meckes stood in the drafty interview zone of the Ahoy Arena. They were grinning under the impression of the national team’s impressive performances.
But the national coach and the sports director did not swear eternal loyalty. Anyone who listened to her words heard farewell vibrations.
Gaugisch had previously avoided commitment to the German Handball Federation (DHB). His contract there expires at the end of April 2026. “I’m keen on handball, I’m keen to work and develop something with a team,” he said on Sunday evening.
It’s no secret that after almost four years as women’s national coach, he is drawn to club handball. In men’s club handball. In Rotterdam he looked as if he had already mentally completed the mission at the DHB at the moment of his greatest success: his team had puzzled the Norwegian world champions for a long time. It was only in the final minutes that the champions from Scandinavia secured the next gold medal with their cleverness and class (Henny Reistad, Katrine Lunde). They were challenged for the first time in this tournament at 23:20 (11:11), later dutifully praised their opponents and routinely accepted the trophy and plaques. It was the last international match for the 45-year-old goalkeeper Lunde.
This time the chemistry is right
The Germans were left with second place, their first award in 18 years. What’s more – the B grade was also pleasing; this team radiates freshness, cohesion and courage. “They are good role models on and off the field,” said Gaugisch, “they fight for the next generation of handball players.”
Many of his players joined in the public debate about income differences and (lack of) appreciation without any fear. Unlike before, the chemistry was right. Xenia Smits, the integrative force of the group, had tears rolling down her cheeks: “We had weeks here without any frills. That was just nice.”
It may never be this beautiful again. At least not in this constellation. Ingo Meckes praised the impression that this team left under their boss: “Markus Gaugisch played a very, very large part in it.” So continue with him towards the 2028 Olympic Games? “We talked before the World Cup. We have great contact,” he answered meaningfully. Gaugisch added that he was “very relaxed” about the contract issue: “We will now sit down and see what we can achieve.”
A lot of affection came from his group. “He pushed the right buttons,” said Xenia Smits, “I want him to stay.” Captain Antje Döll said she would be “really happy” if Gaugisch continued. This tournament was a crowning achievement for the 37-year-old left winger, as she, like Emily Vogel, was elected to the “All-Star Team”. Backcourt player Viola Leuchter was awarded the title of “best young player”.
Bird freed from the burden
Emily Vogel rose to become the strongest German at the front and back. The twenty-six-year-old performed liberated in the days of Stuttgart, Dortmund and Rotterdam. Without the burden of captaincy, with fewer expectations on her shoulders, but also with a portion of anger in her stomach, she took on the tough Norwegians, again and again: “It was such a great final against an almost unbeatable team. They thought.”
Vogel, also known by her maiden name Bölk, had made a name for herself as a champion of equality during the tournament weeks. She now said: “We faced our critics and inspired them. Handball will be a women’s issue beyond 2026.” But at the moment of her greatest success, she also asked herself “when we will be so close again.”
It’s such a thing with organic growth in team sports. Pregnancies and injuries had thwarted the French women’s mission of “successfully defending their title”. Gaugisch described his team, which lifted the quarter-final curse, as the “generation of awesome handball”. “But it is not a given that it will happen again,” he warned, reminding us that all influential Norwegians earn their money with the teams that are on the podium on the Champions League weekend.
His upstarts Nieke Kühne and Nina Engel, on the other hand, are trying to make a living from handball at HSG Blomberg/Lippe. Both ran into each other’s heads in the final. There was a lot of room for improvement. Which also applies to the women’s handball Bundesliga. “Now sponsors have seen what is involved in this sport,” said national team manager Anja Althaus, “I would like more sponsors to support Bundesliga clubs, for us to build halls, for it to become normal when television shows women’s handball and doesn’t wait until the next big tournament.”
The DHB wants to ride the wave of success – international matches should become celebrations. This is an expected development. It seems questionable whether women’s handball can be permanently more visible through the Bundesliga: the players will soon be among themselves again in Buxtehude, Metzingen and Bensheim.
