Coaches: Didier Dinart and Guillaume Gille

 

Key players: Vincent Gerard (Goalkeeper), Ludovic Fabregas (Line player), Luc Abalo (Right wing)

 

Qualification information: Defending champions

 

History in tournament: 1938: DNQ, 1954: 6th, 1958: 9th, 1961: 8th, 1964: 13th, 1967: 10th, 1970: 12th, 1974: DNQ, 1978: 16th, 1982-1986: DNQ, 1990: 9th, 1993: 2nd, 1995: 1st, 1997: 3rd, 1999: 6th, 2001: 1st, 2003: 3rd, 2005: 3rd, 2007: 4th, 2009: 1st, 2011: 1st, 2013: 6th, 2015: 1st, 2017: 1st

 

The back-to-back defending champions travel to the 26th IHF Men’s World Championship ready for a tough battle to reclaim the trophy, as they are well and truly established as the main team to beat at Germany/Denmark 2019. While there are several teams capable of taking the title and many others with the potential to pull off shocking surprises, no squad has the winning tradition through recent years or experience of what it takes to be on top as France.

 

Out of the previous five World Championship titles available, France won four of them – the only trophy they missed from 2009 to 2017 was the 2013 edition in Spain, won by the hosts. Since France made it to the semi-finals for the first time in 1993, they have finished outside the medals only three times – in 1999 (sixth), 2007 (fourth) and 2013 (sixth). With their six trophies won at the event, France hold the record for most world titles. Sweden and Romania are next with four each.

 

France’s record of dominance over the last decades naturally extends to other competitions. After qualifying for the Olympic Games for the first time in 1992, France went on to reach the semi-finals five times in seven participations. They left their debut Games in Barcelona with the bronze medal, ranked fourth in 1996, celebrated gold in 2008 and 2012, and claimed silver in 2016 after a rare lost final. On a continental level, France have won the European title three times, in 2006, 2010 and 2014, and taken bronze twice, in 2008 and 2018.

 

Amongst all the medals there is something more of note in France’s record – they have very rarely lost a medal match. In 22 medal games across the World Championships, Olympic Games and EHF EUROs, France have been defeated only five times. This record speaks to France’s ability to play a tournament well, and it is this experience of performing in the crunch matches that can work in their favour come the business end of the competition. France have a reputation for starting an event slowly, but have proved all too often that they can raise their level to become unstoppable by the end.

 

Despite the solid history and deep squad they will inevitably bring to Germany for the group phase, France are cautious in their approach, particularly with the knowledge that they will come up against one of the host nations in a group that includes Germany, Russia, Serbia, Brazil and Unified Korea.

 

“Playing the host country will not be easy. Germany has chosen to play the preliminary round in Berlin, an attractive city full of symbols. With so many fans and a deep passion for handball, it will be exciting,” says coach Didier Dinart.

 

France can count on a star-studded line-up for their Germany/Denmark 2019 campaign. The squad is so packed with Champions League stars and young talents already making global names for themselves that coaches Dinart and Guillaume Gille must have a more difficult decision deciding who to leave out than who to include. Experienced stars such as three-time world champion Luc Abalo and 2017/18 Champions League winning goalkeeper Vincent Gerard are joined by rising talents like Dika Mem and Ludovic Fabregas, creating a team that is not only favoured to reach the podium at the 2019 World Championship, but well into the future.  

 

Fans can follow France on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

Group at Germany/Denmark 2019
Group A: France, Germany, Russia, Serbia, Brazil, Unified Korea

 

Games at Germany/Denmark 2019

All times local

 

Friday 11 January Brazil vs France (20:30)
Saturday 12 January France vs Serbia (20:30)
Monday 14 January France vs Unified Korea (20:30)
Tuesday 15 January Germany vs France (20:30)
Thursday 17 January France vs Russia (20:30)

IHF & Germany/Denmark 2019 Official Channels

Follow the 2019 IHF Men’s World Championship in Germany/Denmark on the IHF website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels and the official event website and Facebook channel.

 

Photo: French Handball Federation