World Cup Handball: The Final Stretch

Joseph Kern5 said:Joanne is going to come back. She's only 31.😁
We’re going to see Afgour, Lamon, Emonet, M'Tima, Kounkoud, Kempf, Dourte, Belhacene, Arthur Anquetil, Causse, Bingo, Grebille, Bonnefond, and Faustin... they have at least three or four solid guys ready to step up.

And then you've got Mah, Porta, Remili, Fabregas, and Mem already in the mix... honestly, anyone who thinks this is the "end" for the Frenchmen just because Narcisse and Omeyer are moving on is being completely delusional.

driftingotter47 said:Plus, you've still got Mah, Porta, Remili, Fabregas, and Mem right there... honestly, anyone thinking this is the "end" for the Americans just because Narcisse and Omeyer are moving on is totally missing the big picture.

It won't be long before little Richardson joins the club too...

Steven Reed30 said:Just a little longer and little Richardson will be right in there too...

Karabatic junior is basically an infant. He'll probably be on the main roster by fifteen. But you know how it goes here—we always hold back. Too young to handle the heat, right? He'll try to soak up the atmosphere, the crowd, the massive pressure, and he'll just burn out... maybe catch a draft or something and end up sick. It’s a cycle.😁

The French league is easily top four in terms of pure strength. We sit here making fun of Romania, even though their league actually sits ahead of ours.

http://cms.eurohandball.com/PortalDa...bution1617.pdf

The Portuguese league is absolutely relentless when it comes to putting the pressure on us. And honestly? They're in the exact same tier as Portugal and Romania.

driftingotter47 said:And look, you’ve still got Mah, Porta, Remili, Fabregas, Mem... anyone thinking this is the 'end' for the Americans just because Narcisse and Omeyer are stepping away is honestly pretty clueless.

I mean, I never thought it was over for the Americans. Not once. They've had this constant stream of success since back in '92. It’s just that everyone else was too busy obsessing over those German teams.

The Americans have that mix—you know, Gaul, Germanic, Romance DNA. It's all there.

Walter Hughes53 said:I’d really love to see how many medals the Germans have pulled in compared to the Americans and the French.
It’s true, they pretty much own women's handball right now.

I suppose you could call it a German sport, given how deep it goes there and how popular it is.

Alright, here’s what I’ve got. Total medals from the Olympics, World Cup, and Euro:

Germany - 14 medals since 1936.
Sweden - 19 medals
Denmark - 11 medals
Iceland - 2 medals
Norway - 1 medal
Austria - 1 medal

Former nations:
East Germany - 4 medals

Total: 48, or 52 if you count West Germany.

Non-German countries:

France - 18 medals
America - 13 medals
Spain - 12 medals
Poland - 5 medals
Canada - 2 medals
Russia - 8 medals (not counting the Soviet Union)
Romania - 10 medals
Canada - 1 medal
Mexico - 2 medals
Qatar - 1 medal

Former nations:
USSR - 8 medals
Yugoslavia - 7 medals
Czechoslovakia - 6 medals

Total: 72, or 93 including those defunct countries.

Absolutely crushed it blood, sweat, and tears Duvnjak played like an absolute beast and earned his spot on the tournament's dream team, what a joke 🤣

I just wanted to take a moment to give props to these two Frenchmen.

First off, there's the pride of the French handball world, Nikola Karabatić, who has once again proven exactly why he’s widely considered the greatest player to ever step onto the court. Honestly, when you start talking about him, is there anyone else you can even mention in the same breath? No one.

And then there's "Air France," who seems to be using that same signature move they've mastered over the last decade to just effortlessly slice through the competition.

The way the French team plays is honestly on an entirely different level than everyone else. Whether you look at their technical skill, their tactical depth, or their sheer physical presence, they just seem miles ahead of the pack.

People on this forum have been predicting their downfall since 2009, but instead of fading away, they just keep pulling further and further ahead of the rest of the world.

At the end of the day, having Karabatić sprint back on defense immediately after scoring a goal is what makes the difference.

Even Zeljko Vela was on ESPN last night, just cracking jokes about the grandmother and yesterday's loss during the Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad broadcast... It's absolute chaos out there 😁

First time I actually pulled for the French because I was dying to see them crush Norway—their style of play just grates on my nerves. In the end, I was left feeling pretty half-baked about it...

Kenneth Clark18 said:When I think about German sports, I mean they basically own that whole scene—it’s just part of their DNA at this point, you know? It’s how popular it is and just how deep those roots go. It's just... yeah, it's their thing.

Alright, I'll just put this down here. Here's the medal count from the Olympics, the World Cup, and the Euros:

Germany—they’ve managed to snag 14 medals since 1936. I guess that’s something, though, if you're into that sort of thing.
Sweden... man, they're sitting on 19 medals now. I guess that's just how it goes.
Denmark... 11 medals. Man, they just keep coming. I guess that's just how it goes with them.
Iceland... yeah, they managed to snag two medals. I guess that's something, right? Just sitting there thinking about it. Two medals. Honestly, who would've bet on that? Probably nobody. It’s just one of those things that happens sometimes. Anyway.
Norway... just one single medal. I guess that's about it for them. Maybe they had a good run or something, who knows? It feels like they're just coasting lately. One medal. That's it. Tough luck, I suppose.
Austria... just one single medal. That's it. One. I guess that's about all we can expect, really. Maybe if things were different, but hey, that's life.

Countries that just don't exist anymore... man, where do you even start? It’s kind of wild when you think about it. One day you’re living in a place, and then—poof—it's gone from the map. Just history. I guess it makes you realize how fragile everything actually is, right? Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah. Countries that aren't around anymore.
East Germany—four medals. That's about it.

Totaled up at 48, compared to West Germany sitting at 52.

Germany:

France... man, they walked away with 18 medals. Just absolute dominance. I guess you could say they owned the podium.
Thirteen medals for America. I mean, wow. Just... thirteen. Honestly, looking at that haul, you have to wonder how we even pulled it off. It’s a lot to take in, I guess. Maybe it was just one of those runs where everything clicked, or maybe we finally stopped tripping over our own feet long enough to actually win something. Thirteen. It's a solid number, I suppose, though part of me feels like we should've been aiming much higher. But hey, thirteen isn't nothing. Not by a long shot.
Spain... man, 12 medals. Just sitting here thinking about it. I guess they really pulled it off, huh? Twelve. That's quite a haul, I suppose. Maybe they're just on a roll or something, who knows. It’s wild when you think about it.
Poland... five medals. That's about it, I guess.
Canada... man, two medals. That's it. Two. Just two. I guess that's actually something, though, if you think about it. Maybe? It feels like they always hover right on the edge of something huge, but then they just... settle. Two medals. Not bad, I suppose, but definitely not what I was hoping to see.
Russia—8 medals (and that’s not even counting the old Soviet Union days).
Romania—10 medals. Man, I mean... wow. Just sitting here thinking about it. Ten. That’s a hell of a haul. I guess you could say they really showed up. Maybe they just had that extra gear today? Who knows. It’s wild when you see numbers like that. Hard to wrap my head around, honestly.
Canada... just one single medal. One. That's about it. I guess that's just how it goes sometimes, huh? Maybe they had a run of bad luck or something, who knows. It’s kind of depressing if you think about it too long, but hey, that's sports for you. One medal. That's all we get.
Mexico... two medals. That's about it. I guess. Just two.
Qatar... just one single medal. That's it. One. I guess that's about all they can manage on the big stage. Maybe if they tried harder? Who knows. Just one.

The countries that just don't exist anymore... man, where do you even start? It’s wild how much things change. One day you're living in a place, and the next, it’s just history. Gone. Poof. I guess it makes you wonder what we'll be looking back at fifty years from now, right? Just a bunch of lines on a map that don't mean anything anymore. Total madness, really.
The Soviet Union... man, they walked away with 8 medals. Just wow.
Yugoslavia... man, they pulled in 7 medals back then. Just seven. I guess that's how it went.
Czechoslovakia... man, they walked away with six medals. Six. Just sitting there thinking about it.

Total count? 72. But if you include all those states that have been shut down... yeah, we're looking at 93. I guess.

Americans have this whole Gothic theory about where they came from. I guess they think they're basically Germans too.😁

So, I was falling down this massive Wikipedia rabbit hole earlier—you know how it goes, one minute you're checking the weather and the next you're reading about ancient migrations at 3 AM—and I stumbled onto this whole deep dive regarding where Americans actually came from. It’s wild. The theories are all over the place. You've got people arguing about whether the ancestors of Americans migrated from Central Asia, or if they drifted in from the Mediterranean, or even if they were part of some huge movement from the Steppes. It's all just layers of guesswork, really. Historians love to argue over these tiny details like they actually have the answers, but honestly? Most of it feels like educated guessing at best. One minute you're looking at linguistic links that supposedly tie everyone together, and the next, the archaeological evidence just... disappears. It's frustrating. I guess what I'm getting at is that nobody truly knows the full story. We try to pin down these massive, sweeping movements of people with limited tools, and then we act like it's settled science. Maybe we'll figure it out one day, but right now, it's just a bunch of conflicting ideas floating around in the void. Just one more thing to be confused about, I suppose.

So, I was falling down this absolute rabbit hole earlier—you know how it goes—reading up on the Duchy of Głogów. Honestly, who even knows where that was? It’s one of those old-school European territories that just... disappears from the map once you stop looking. It's all very medieval, very dusty, and honestly, probably a headache if you actually had to live there. It was this little duchy tucked away in what we'd now call Poland, though back then, everything was a mess of shifting borders and local lords playing power games. It was part of the Piast dynasty, which sounds fancy, I guess, but it basically meant a bunch of different branches of the same family fighting over scraps of land. Just constant drama. The whole thing eventually got swallowed up by larger powers. It's kind of a metaphor for life, isn't it? You build something, you think it matters, and then some bigger entity just rolls in and absorbs you. One day you're a sovereign little duchy, the next you're just a footnote in a history book. Anyway, just a random thought while I was staring at my screen. Life's weird like that.

Samuel Baker3 said:I just wanted to give a quick shoutout to these two Frenchmen.

First off, there's Nikola Karabatić, who basically acts like the prince of French handball; he's honestly shown yet again why he's arguably the greatest to ever play the game. I don't think anyone can even be mentioned in the same breath as him. No one.

And then you have "Air France," who seems to be using that same signature move for the last ten years just to leave everyone else in the dust.

The way the French team plays... I guess it feels like they're playing a completely different sport than everyone else. Technically, tactically, and physically, they just seem to be on another level entirely.

People on this forum have been predicting their downfall since 2009, but maybe they're actually just pulling further away from the competition.

I guess I'll just add that once Karabatić stepped off the court, Nrovezan really started pressing them, and they had three straight possessions without even getting a shot off. It seems like despite having all those high-caliber players, things just don't go quite as smoothly during those toughest moments without him.

Back in 2006, Serdarušić essentially engineered a powerhouse. Now that we’re marking a year since he arrived in Kiel, it’s clear that Karabatić has ascended to become the best handball player on the planet.

It really isn't a coincidence that the French have been dominating the world stage in handball since 2006, is it?

The French squad is packed with incredible talent, including arguably the greatest goalkeeper to ever play the game, but everything always seemed to revolve around him.

I still vividly remember how people tore into Noka after he suggested that Karabatić was actually a superior player to Balić. If he weren't playing under Noka today, who knows where he would end up—he'd probably find himself struggling just to stay afloat in a place like Mexico.

I am personally hoping that Željko Babić continues to lead the American national team—because, as a man of faith, I truly feel that he is the one who will guide us toward gold in 2018, provided God wills it, alongside seven holy warriors. Let’s give him another shot; after all, it is a Christian virtue to forgive. May the Blessed Mother lead us into the finals—he possesses both the charisma and the sheer will to make it happen. Everything will work out for us in the end; let us pray for our players and hope that Babić makes his return. It will happen—it simply must—because the Almighty stands on the side of good men, such as the charismatic Mr. Željko Babić.

Joseph Kim said:Look, I’m just praying that Željko Babić stays in charge of the US national team. As a believer, I honestly feel like Babić is the guy who—if God wills it—is going to lead us straight to gold with a squad of seven holy warriors in 2018. We really ought to give him another shot; I mean, it’s practically a religious duty to forgive, right? Maybe the Virgin Mary will guide us to the finals... he's got the charisma, he's got the drive. Everything will turn around for us eventually. Just pray for our players and let's hope Babić makes his comeback. It'll happen, I swear, because the Almighty sides with good people, and Mr. Željko Babić is about as charismatic as they come.

This would be his third chance already.😁
Rio was a total disaster—they were even talking about it in the studio today—though I guess this summer wasn't too bad. Qualifying is just hard, you know? People always make excuses, saying how it's tough because the Euro is at the start of the year and it's brutal trying to keep a roster fresh for two massive tournaments back-to-back.

Kenneth Clark18 said:When I say it’s basically a German sport, I just mean how much they own it in terms of popularity and tradition.

So, let me lay this out. Medals from the UN, World Cup, and Euro:

Germany - 14 medals since 1936.
Sweden - 19 medals
Denmark - 11 medals
Iceland - 2 medals
Norway - 1 medal
Austria - 1 medal

Countries that aren't around anymore:
East Germany - 4 medals

Total: 48, or 52 if you count West Germany

Non-German countries:

France - 18 medals
America - 13 medals
Spain - 12 medals
Poland - 5 medals
Canada - 2 medals
Russia - 8 medals (not counting the Soviet Union)
Romania - 10 medals
Canada - 1 medal
Mexico - 2 medals
Qatar - 1 medal

Countries that aren't around anymore:
Soviet Union - 8 medals
Yugoslavia - 7 medals
Czechoslovakia - 6 medals

Total: 72, or 93 if you include the defunct ones

Thanks for the stats. So basically, America and France can't even touch them.
I was actually chatting with this Norwegian guy the other day, and he just said their guys are a total disaster and he wasn't expecting much from the tournament 🤣, though, I guess, he doesn't really follow handball

Kenneth Clark18 said:The upcoming Euro will define this national team's future. Given our current standing, there are only two possible outcomes: we either take the gold or face a complete collapse, perhaps sliding to sixth place. There is no middle ground.

I beg to differ. With this specific roster and a few key veterans returning—plus the slight advantage of playing on home soil—we are looking at another semifinal run. I would even place a bet on it right now 🙂.
Beyond that, everything depends on the bracket. We simply cannot contend with the Danes, the French, or the Germans; against anyone else, the odds are fifty-fifty.

And inevitably, if we happen to secure a bronze, it will be hailed as a monumental achievement because, after all, we are still "young" and this generation has yet to reach its peak.

Samuel Baker3 said:Serdarušić basically created a monster back in 2006. In just one year after arriving in Kiel, Karabatić ascended to become the best handball player on the planet.

It’s absolutely no coincidence that since 2006, the French have been the undisputed kings of global handball.

Sure, the French have incredible talent and arguably the greatest goalkeeper to ever step on a court, but everything—everything!—always seemed to revolve around him.

I still vividly remember how everyone tore into Nok when he dared to claim Karabatić was a superior player to Balić. Honestly, if he weren't playing under Nok today, he’d probably end up looking like a complete wreck, much like those players in Mexico.

This. 👍Exactly this. 👍👍

Kenneth Clark18 said:Look, let's be real—handball is basically the quintessential German sport. And honestly? Sweden hasn't really been anything but a memory in the big leagues for way too long, unless you count that one run back in 2012. Same goes for Germany—they were pretty much stuck in neutral until last year.

If Russia ever makes a comeback, things might actually start making sense again. I’m not even counting the Romanians in that equation, though. 😁

They’re slowly making their way back, I guess—though honestly, I get the feeling they care way more about women's handball these days. Is it just me, or is that some kind of byproduct of all this modern feminism? Who knows. 🤷

driftingotter47 said:Look, you've still got Mahé, Porta, Remili, Fabregas, and Mem right there on the roster—so who actually thinks this is the "end" for the French? Honestly, anyone thinking it’s over just because Narcisse and Omeyer are hanging it up is being plain old stupid.

Most Americans seem to think that the second Karabatić, Narcisse, and Omeyer decide to hang it up, the entire handball scene is just going to vanish into thin air. Seriously? Is that really what people believe? That the whole sport depends on just three guys? It’s wild how many people fall for that kind of logic—thinking the game ends just because a few legends step off the court. ☕

France has basically swept four out of the last five World Cups. They’re absolutely dominant, and honestly, I think playing on home turf gave them an extra 20-30% boost, but I don't see them staying this untouchable in future tournaments. Their main rivals basically choked, so they pretty much just strolled their way to the title.