Guadeloupean Didier Dinart, emblematic figure of world handball, has been named coach of the Montenegro men’s national team.
Didier Dinart, former player and coach of the France team, has been named coach of Montenegro, the handball federation of the small Balkan country announced on Saturday (October 12, 2024).
At 47, the world champion at the head of the Blues in 2017, “is the new coach of the national team“, wrote this federation in a press release published on its website.
This appointment marks a new stage in the brilliant career of Dinart, who has built an exceptional track record as a player and coach.
The Guadeloupean is one of the big names in world handball. A player with 379 caps with the Blues, he won two Olympic titles (2008 and 2021) and was crowned world champion three times (2001, 2009 and 2011) and two European crowns (2006, 2010).
He will make his debut on the Montenegrin bench on November 6 during a Euro-2026 qualifying match against Finland.
The former player of Montpellier HB and Ciudad Real, in Spain, has had various experiences as a coach since his departure from the Blues following their elimination in the first round of Euro-2020.
He notably held the position of coach in Saudi Arabia in 2021-2022, before becoming coach of US Ivry for two seasons.
At club level, he has lifted four Champions Leagues and accumulated 11 domestic titles. His time as coach of the French team was just as successful: in 2017, he led the “Experts” to another victory in the world championship, which earned him to be elected coach of the year by the International Handball Federation in 2016 and 2018.
Asked about his new adventure with Montenegro, Didier Dinart expressed his enthusiasm and determination to take on this international challenge. “It’s a source of immense pride for me“, he confided, referring to the importance of the relationships he builds with his players and his counterparts in this type of competition.
Aware of the potential of the Montenegrin team, made up of talented players playing in the best European championships, he is ready to put his experience at the service of the collective.
Its main objective is to qualify Montenegro for the EHF Euro 2026, a competition essential for the future of the team after the failure to qualify for the 2025 World Cup.
