The French team aims to validate its qualification for the quarter-finals this Thursday against the Netherlands. A 5th victory in the tournament would be synonymous with 2 additional points which would guarantee 1st place in Group II, even before the final match of the main round on Saturday against the Macedonians. Netherlands – France, a match to follow from 6 p.m. on beIN SPORTS.
Presentation of Netherlands France by Yohan Delattre, assistant coach.
The Netherlands is total handball with an intention focused on wide space and attack. Obviously, it is a nation that plays fast, both in the race, in the gestures and in the sequences. It's honestly a fun team to watch because they are driven by speed and precision. It is not given to all teams to score so many goals in wide open space. Of course she plays at the rhythm of her centerpiece, Luc Steins, with players around him capable of adapting to this speed. The Netherlands is total handball with an intention more focused on wide space and attack. It's up to us to be very solid defensively and to be in control of our 9m because this team does very well upwind. We will have to be very efficient in the withdrawal and impose our pace.
– With 21 goals each in 4 matches, Thibaud Briet and Dika Mem lead the French scorers, ahead of Nedim Remili (17) and Aymeric Minne (15).
– With 34 saves on 100 shots, Rémi Desbonnet’s percentage couldn’t be clearer: 34%!
– Arrived in the French team on November 1, 2012, Mathieu Grebille should reach the milestone of 100 caps against the Netherlands. 2014 European champion, 2015 world champion, he is also Olympic vice-champion (Rio 2016), world vice-champion (2023) and bronze medalist at the 2019 World Cup! Read Monday's interview.
– Mathieu Grebille, Luka Karabatic and Elohim Prandi will cross swords with their partners from Paris Saint Germain HB: center-halves Luc Steins and Dani Baijens.
– The pivot Martinjs Kleijkers defends the colors of Billere Handball Pau Pyrénées.
15.01.1988 – Amiens : 29-21
16.01.1988 – Lens : 26-24
17.01.1988 – Dunkirk: 25-15
19.06.1988 – Gdansk : 20-19
18.11.1988 – Haarlem : 18-16
24.11.1990 – Haarlem : 20-19
22.12.1993 – Sittard: 20-18 – EHF EURO 94 Qualifier
12.01.1994 – Liévin: 25-19 – EHF EURO 94 Qualifier
01.20.2022 – Budapest: 34-24 – EHF Euro in Hungary-Slovakia
04.01.2023 – Le Mans: 43-32 – Friendly
Results for France: 48 matches including 36 victories, 3 draws and 9 defeats
The equation for the preliminary round is simple: four teams will compete in each of the eight groups (32 teams) with three qualified for the main round which will bring together 24 teams divided into four groups. The Blues will obviously aim for one of the three tickets for the main round and, if possible, with the maximum points, before crossing with the three qualified nations from Pool D. The skimming will then be more important because only two teams will reach the final table, at the quarter-final stage against the qualifiers from groups G and H.
It is Tuesday January 14 at 9:00 a.m., at the time of the technical meeting of group C which will be played in Porec, that the list of 18 players will be made official. Then, the coach will choose 16 players for each match. In addition, 5 changes will be possible throughout the competition (among the list of 35 players announced on 11/15).
IHF WORLD 2025 (Croatia, Denmark and Norway) – FULL RESULTS
Preliminary round in Porec: January 14 to 18
Tuesday January 14: France – Qatar : 37-19 (18-10) / Austria – Kuwait : 37-26 (18-16)
Thursday January 16: Kuwait – France : 19-43 (8-21) / Austria – Qatar : 28-26 (16-14)
Saturday January 18: France – Austria : 35-27 (19-15) / Qatar – Kuwait : 25-22 (11-7)
Ranking: 1/ France 6 pts 2/ Austria 4 pts 3/ Qatar 2 pts 4/ Kuwait 0 pts
the main round
FULL RESULTS
Tuesday January 21: Hungary – France : 30-37 (15-23) / Austria – North Macedonia : 29-29 (14-13) / Qatar – Netherlands: 37-38 (19-17)
Thursday January 23 at 6:00 p.m.: Netherlands – France live on beIN SPORTS / North Macedonia – Qatar / Hungary – Austria
Saturday January 25 at 8:30 p.m.: France – North Macedonia live on beIN SPORTS / Netherlands – Austria / Qatar – Hungary
Group II ranking: 1/ France 6 pts 2/ Netherlands 4 pts 2/ Hungary and Austria 3 pts 5/ North Macedonia 2 pts 6/ Qatar 0 pt
January 21 to 25 – Herning: Group I (3 qualified from groups A & B)
January 22 to 26 – Baerum: Group III (3 qualified from groups E & F)
January 22 to 26 – Zagreb: Group IV (3 qualified from groups G & H)
QUARTER FINALS
January 28 – Zagreb: 1st group II – 2nd in group IV
January 28 – Zagreb: 1st group IV – 2nd in group II
January 29 – Baerum: 1st group I – 2nd in group III
January 29 – Baerum: 1st group III – 2nd in group I
SEMI-FINALS
January 30 – To Zagreb
January 31 – At Baerum
FINALES
February 2 – At Baerum
THE SELECTION
Guardians: Charles BOLZINGER (Montpellier HB) – Rémi DESBONNET (Montpellier HB)
Left wingers: Mathieu GREBILLE (Paris Saint Germain HB) – Dylan NAHI (Industria Kielce)
Left backs: Thibaud BRIET (HBC Nantes) – Romain LAGARDE (PAUC Handball) – Élohim PRANDI (Paris Saint Germain HB)
Center halves: Aymeric MINNE (HBC Nantes) – Nedim REMILI (Telekom Veszprém)
Pivots : Ludovic FABREGAS (Cap, Telekom Veszprém) – Luka KARABATIC (Paris Saint Germain HB) – Karl KONAN (Montpellier HB) – Nicolas TOURNAT (HBC Nantes)
Right backs: Dika MEM (FC Barcelona) – Melvyn RICHARDSON (FC Barcelona)
Right wingers: Julien BOS (HBC Nantes) – Benoît KOUNKOUD (Industria Kielce)
THE STAFF
Coach : Guillaume GILLE / Assistant coach: Yohan DELATTRE / Goalkeeper coaches: Jean-Luc KIEFFER / Physical trainer: Olivier MAURELLI / Video analyst: Vincent GRIVEAU / Doctor : Emmanuel BIDET / Physiotherapists: Sébastien GAUTIER, Jean-Christophe MABIRE and Florian PATALAGOÏTY / Manager of French teams: Emmanuelle MOUSSET / Communication
and media relations: Hubert GUÉRIAU / Steward: Alexandre MASSINON / Mental trainer: Pierre ARTHAPIGNET / National Technical Director: Pascal BOURGEAIS / Head of delegation: Bertrand GILLE / Videoman : Mathis BORONAT / Photographer: Baptiste FERNANDEZ
EHF EURO CUP 2026
November 4 and 5: internship at the Maison du handball
1st day – Wednesday November 6 in Orléans: France – Sweden : 37 to 31 (21-11) / Denmark – Norway : 32-27 (15-13)
2nd day – Saturday November 9 in Stavanger: Norway – France : 27-31 (14-17) / In Linköping: Sunday November 10: Sweden – Denmark: 29-33 (16-17)
PREPARING FOR THE 2025 IHF WORLD
End of December: internship at the Maison du handball
FRANCE TOURNAMENT IN Strasbourg
January 1 to 7: internship at the Maison du handball
January 8 to 10: French tournament at Rhénus Sport in Strasbourg
Wednesday January 8: France – Czech Republic : 37-28 (22-12)
Thursday January 9: Portugal – Czech Republic : 32-31 (16-15)
Friday January 10: France – Portugal : 44-38 (23-19)
EHF EURO CUP 2024-2025
Internship from March 10 to 16, 2025
3rd day – Wednesday March 12 at 8:45 p.m., in Lyon – LDLC Arena: France – Denmark
4th day – Saturday March 15 in Kolding, at 6 p.m.: Denmark – France
EHF EURO CUP 2024-2025
Internship from May 5 to 11, 2025
5e day: Wednesday May 7 in Gothenburg: Sweden – France
6e day – Sunday May 11, at 6 p.m., in Rouen – Kindarena: France – Norway
