Olympic champion for the second time in a row with France this summer in Paris, the Montpellier central defender (32 years old) is preparing for his next club season. Interview with Nicolas Le Goff who looks back on his experience of the Games at home, wants to give himself time before making a decision on the rest of his career with France and discusses the upcoming season with MHSC VB.
How did you experience this second Olympic title won in Paris this summer?
I must admit that I still have a little trouble taking a step back. It will take me a while to take it in. We experienced an extraordinary moment, out of time in Paris. Throughout the competition, it was incredible in terms of emotions and sharing with the public. When we took the bus to go to training or to the matches, we saw the party in Paris.
You almost escaped punishment when you were down 2 sets to 0 against Germany in the quarter-finals…
It didn’t last long, it was the story of a match. Not like at the Tokyo Games where we were close to elimination after several defeats. There, the doubt lasted two sets and freed the team for the rest.
At that time, you didn’t seem to be worried…
There was concern, fears… But when we started the third set, I told the guys: “We consider that it’s 0-0 and that we have to win 3-0, it’s easily doable.” We didn’t need to panic.
The crowd was extremely supportive throughout the competition. Have you ever experienced that in your career?
During the European Championship in 2019, I remember the atmosphere in Montpellier against Bulgaria and Italy, the two matches in Nantes and the semi-final in Paris… There, the little extra thing was the atmosphere of the Olympic Games.
How do you judge your personal performances during the Olympic Games?
I felt good but I know that I didn’t have the best competition of my life. I felt much better in the final stages of the Nations League this summer. I’m happy with my Olympics but there was stress, pressure…
How did you feel when the match ball came that gave you the Olympic title?
When the Pole Leon serves outside, it’s first of all a great relief. At that moment, we’re leading by a wide margin, he makes a series of serves, they come back to 24-23… Afterwards, it’s an explosion of joy, I get down on my knees and I tell myself that we’ve won the Games back… Before us, only two teams had achieved the feat of winning them twice in a row. We dreamed of it but we knew we only had a slim chance. We did it, I was amazed. Double Olympic champion, I’m still having trouble taking it in.
Was the Olympic final your last match with the French team?
I don’t know, I’m wondering… I need to talk to the coach, to my teammates. I’m going to be 33 this year. With the international pace, we do two seasons in one. If I want to last over time, I’m going to have to be careful. And for the moment, I don’t see myself going all the way to Los Angeles because four years is a long way away. On the other hand, there are the world championships next summer, it’s the only competition we haven’t won.
“The hardest recovery of my career”
You have resumed training with MHSC VB, how do you feel?
This is the hardest recovery of my entire career. There was such a relaxation after the Olympic Games… I feel like my legs weigh 800 kg, that I have 3 centimeters of relaxation… I spoke about it with some guys from the French team, they feel the same way. Having to start again, my body was not ready.
The season begins with the Supercourpe in Nantes against Saint-Nazaire (5:30 p.m.). How do you approach this match?
First of all, I think we really have a good group in terms of atmosphere, ambiance and level. There is a trophy to be won in a match. It will not be indicative of the season that will take place. We won the Super Cup two years ago, and we had a terrible season afterwards. This week, we will prepare well for this meeting to arrive in good shape on D-Day.
The championship will start in Tours the following week. Do you expect a special welcome in French venues since you are the only Olympic champion playing in France?
I had experienced that after Tokyo, people came to see me, thanked me, wanted to take pictures. Now, I think that it will revive this momentum but I don’t expect to be cheered before the matches either, I will still be an opponent.
In Montpellier, the spectators certainly want to celebrate you…
I expect a special welcome but I don’t think I’m going to enter the field on October 4 (the date of MHSC VB’s first home match) like a rock star (laughs).
Do you think that MHSC VB can play a leading role in the Men’s League A and the Coupe de France or even go for a title?
We train and we will play for that. We are also aware that many teams have strengthened this summer. This season will be dense and homogeneous like last year. It is not insignificant that Saint-Nazaire was crowned champion of France after finishing seventh in the regular season. I imagine it will be the same. We have the ambition to go as high as possible. We will be one of the candidates.
