Since then, they have seen the new great Danish rival adorn themselves with world gold three times in a row, an unprecedented series, the last time (2023) by beating them in the final in Stockholm (34-29). On the other hand, it was as soon as they entered the Olympics, at the end of July, that the band led by the best player in the world Mathias Gidsel gave them a lesson (37-29) which launched under bad auspices a tournament which ended in water. of blood sausage. By a defeat after extra time in the quarter-finals against Germany (35-34 after) while they led by one goal with possession of the ball six seconds from the end of regulation time.
“An eternal scar” for Dika Mem, author of the ball which offered the extension to the Mannchaft, and on a collective level for the players, determined according to the new captain Ludovic Fabregas to “put the French team back in its rightful place “. Or at the very top, which would be a great way to celebrate, on February 2 in Oslo, the 30th anniversary of the first world title, won by the “Barjots” a little further north, in Reykjavik in Iceland.
“Team spirit”
After the Olympic disillusionment, the Blues are not going that far according to Mem: “There is not a lot to change either, in January (2024) we were European champions. We need to find fluidity in the game and team spirit. At the Olympics the ball circulated less, and individuals took precedence over the collective.
The squad, in fact, has evolved, with the retirements of Nikola Karabatic and Vincent Gérard, the end of the international career of Valentin Porte, and the change in status of Luka Karabatic, now a simple soldier after having ceded the armband to Fabregas . “Yes, there is a reconfiguration of the team, a redefinition of the statuses, the idea of a new phase, a new dynamic,” declared coach Guillaume Gille.
-Rise to power
It was launched by four victories. The last two trial gallops allowed the two major injuries from the fall, Mem and Prandi, to return to competition. But not to Hugo Descat (herniated disc), not selected in the group for this World Cup, whose very affordable first round allows the Blues to gain momentum, with on the program, after Qatar, Kuwait then Austria.
“We play teams that we meet very rarely, with slightly atypical styles of play, few references. But is there a red carpet unfolding before us? We will need to make efforts, to be efficient and this increase in power will only happen if we are able to lay the bricks on top of each other,” replied Gille.
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