Denmark is unstoppable. This Sunday, the Danes confirmed their status as a handball hyperpower on Sunday by beating Germany (34-27) at home, in Herning, in the Euro final. Quadruple reigning world champions and Olympic champions in 2024, they thus combine the three major world handball titles and join the French team in the pantheon, until now the only one to have accumulated the three crowns (in 2010 then in 2015).
The European Championship, on the other hand, had, in recent years, smiled on them much less, since their previous coronation dated back to 2012. Fourteen years later, and two years after losing in the final against France (33-31), they climbed onto the roof of the Old Continent, hoisted by their approximately 15,000 supporters dressed all in red.
Gidsel record holder for goals in a Euro
While they had approached the main round with their backs to the wall after losing against Portugal in the preliminary round (31-29), they defeated France (32-29), Spain (36-31), Germany for the first time (31-26), Norway (38-24), Iceland (31-28) and therefore again the Mannschaft.
Already their victim in the final of the Olympic Games (39-26), the Germans competed much more this time, putting up formidable opposition during a superb final played at a wild pace. Goalkeeper Andreas Wolff (14 saves on 45 shots) delayed the deadline for a long time for the Germans, deprived of their defense chief Tom Kiesler after a quarter of an hour of play (red card).
Opposite, Mathias Gidsel, the best player in the world, took matters into his own hands (7/14) to beat the record for goals in a Euro. The Danes can also thank their goalkeeper Kevin Möller (8/23), who came on as Emil Nielsen who saved a crucial penalty four minutes from time (30-27, 56th). The Danes scored behind four goals, to secure the triple crown.
