Can France add another medal to their collection?

Main facts:

• France are one of the most consistent teams in recent editions of EHF EURO, securing a podium finish in each of the last three competitions
• with an eye on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Olivier Krumbholz has mixed the experienced core that brought three medals from the past three major tournaments with promising young players. Five on the roster will make their EHF EURO debuts
• this will be Olivier Krumbholz’s 11^th EHF EURO and possibly his last. The French coach announced his retirement for after Paris 2024
• Siraba Dembele, the all-time leader in the number of matches played at the EHF EURO with 54, will miss the tournament after she retired from international handball
• with a 61,1% winning efficiency at EHF EURO, France have the third best percentage of wins in the competition, after Norway and Denmark

Three questions ahead EHF EURO 2022:

Can they make it four medals in a row?

Only one team in history has managed that feat. Norway, the most decorated team in history boast the largest streak of consecutive EHF EURO medals with eight between 2002 and 2016. France are third in the all-time medal table, tied with Denmark on five, but with two gold medals fewer than the Scandinavian side.

France may not have established a dynasty, as they have lost both the last EHF EURO and the last World Championship final to Norway, but they are definitely one of the best teams in history. Olivier Krumbholz has created an amazing side, which relies heavily on defence to constantly punish their opponents.

The big question is whether France have what it takes to win their fourth medal in a row. On paper it is possible, despite their core being three players down, after Dembele and Amandine Leynaud ended their international careers, and centre back Meline Nocandy out with a knee injury till 2023.

Did they learn anything from last December?

After losing the EHF EURO 2020 final, when they were outplayed by Norway in the second half, France went to the World Championship with high hopes. Again, they lost to Norway in the final, when the Scandinavians produced one of the all-time comebacks in women’s handball to overhaul a four-goal deficit at the break.

That loss has haunted Krumbholz and his squad, but it could be a turning point for this experienced France side, who will likely try to learn from their mistakes and not collapse again. The squad’s average age at EHF EURO 2022 is 26.2 years old, so contains plenty of experience.

Will Amandine Leynaud’s retirement hurt France?

Leynaud’s credentials are well-known: she was the EHF EURO 2018 All-Star goalkeeper, and the EHF Champions League Women All-Star goalkeeper in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. Her importance to France’s defence was hard to overstate, so it will be fascinating to see how France cope.

She has remained with the team as goalkeeping coach, looking after a position that is still well covered, with the Camille Depuiset, Cleopatre Darleux, and Floriane Andre among the best in the competition.Darleux was one of Leynaud’s teammates. She took responsibility whenever she was called up to replace her between the goalposts and has plenty of experience at the highest level. While her form in the EHF Champions League Women might have been mixed, she  will bring her experience and nous to the table this time.

However, Glauser’s absence with a late injury will be felt. Last season’s EHF Champions League Women All-Star goalkeeper has been replaced by Camille Depuiset.

Under the spotlight: Grace Zaadi

Zaadi may never be the top scorer of the EHF EURO and maybe not even the player with the largest number of assists in the competition, but her importance to France cannot be overstated. It is no coincidence that France started to shine after Zaadi was called up to the national team in 2013, when she was an emerging 20-year-old centre back.

She quickly became crucial to her team, on both sides of the ball, and was named the All-Star centre back at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and in the 2017 and 2021 editions of the IHF Women’s World Championship, when France secured the silver and the gold medals respectively.

Her nous for setting up her teammates for easy goals is second to none, while her excellent game management should be respected by any opponent. Zaadi’s presence is hugely important for France, EHF EURO 2022 will be no exception.

Did you know?

France are the only side to finish on the podium in the past three EHF EURO editions, winning the title in 2018, silver medal in 2020, and the bronze in 2016.

What the numbers say:

46 – France need only four wins to hit the 50-win mark at the EHF EURO, an achievement only matched by Norway, Denmark, and Hungary.

Plays with heart: Beatrice Edwige

If you want to see who the heart and soul of this France team is, look no further than their world-class defence, where the magic happens for Olivier Krumbholz’s side.

The anchor of that defence is Beatrice Edwige, a 34-year-old defensive specialist, who rarely features in attack, but is crucial to Krumbholz’s tactics.

Edwige will always be in the middle of the action, trying to stop her opponents. She was an integrant part of France’s rise and has won seven medals, notably Olympic, EHF EURO, and World Championship gold.

EHF EURO Participations (including 2022): 12

Winners (1): 2018

Silver medal (1): 2020

Bronze medals (3): 2002, 2006, 2016