Half a minute before the final whistle, the first players were hugging each other, one or the other looking at the scoreboard in Stockholm, some in disbelief, others filled with happiness. In glowing red numbers there was a 34-29 against France for the Danes, who were unstoppable when the siren finally sounded. When they all stormed onto the field and celebrated winning the world championship.
“It was a fantastic performance by the team. A perfect finish,” said Mathias Gidsel after the final whistle. The backcourt player of Füchse Berlin has succeeded with Denmark as the first nation in the 85-year history of the World Cup to win the title for the third time in a row. “I’m so proud that we did it. A mini-country like Denmark is world champion for the third time. There were already such good nations in handball, but that’s probably something unique, maybe nobody will be able to do that again,” said the 23-year-old happily.
With his six goals, his fast play and his tireless commitment, he once again played a significant part in his team’s victory – and with a total of 60 tournament goals he also secured the award for the best shooter in the World Cup.
“But that’s not just my merit. I’m part of an outstanding offensive and can score easily as a result,” said Gidsel modestly. It was precisely this balanced line of attack that was decisive on Sunday evening.
Because after coach Nikolaj Jacobsen had previously relied on a few players in the encounters, he was able to switch happily in the final when the front row needed a break and not only bring new freshness to the floor with Flensburg’s Mads Mensah Larsen, but also a throwing force from that other teams can only dream of.
Rasmus Lauge, Simon Pytlick and Mathias Gidsel scored from almost every position in the backcourt and on the one hand demonstrated their exceptional class and on the other hand that success in Denmark is not a short-term phenomenon.
The youth work, the club structure, the acceptance among the population – these facts have allowed handball to grow among the Scandinavians over the years and become a popular sport. Gidsel never tired of emphasizing that either, who thanked the base again.
After all, the backcourt player must know, since he can now be cited as the personification of this development. He, who quickly became the idol of numerous children due to his rapid rise to the world class. In just three years with the national team, he has twice won gold at the World Championships, silver at the Olympics and bronze at the European Championships, has always been part of the all-star team and is able to extend his series of honors again this year. Indisputably, he was voted the most valuable player of the tournament.
The fact that this election was almost lost due to the late announcement after the final game could hardly have been less important to Gidsel and Co. The cold drinks were flowing anyway – and they will probably be for a while. Not least because the official reception at Copenhagen City Hall was on the agenda on Monday. There the team can finally celebrate with their fans again compared to the meager pandemic situation two years ago.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s a childhood dream. I just have to be careful not to lift the trophy over the balcony. It’s heavy as hell,” Gidsel said with a smile on his face. There is still some time before he has to return to training with his compatriots Hans Lindberg and Jacob Holm on Saturday. Until then, all that counts is the World Cup and celebrating with Denmark.
Source: Tagesspiegel
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
