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France women's national handball team

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France France
Shirt badge/Association crest
Information
NicknameLes Bleues (The Blues)
AssociationFrench Handball Federation
CoachSébastien Gardillou
Assistant coachDavid Burguin
CaptainTamara Horacek
Most capsIsabelle Wendling (338)
Most goalsVéronique Pecqueux-Rolland (917)
Colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
1st
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
2nd
Results
Summer Olympics
Appearances7 (First in 2000)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st (2020)
World Championship
Appearances17 (First in 1986)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st (2003, 2017, 2023)
European Championship
Appearances14 (First in 2000)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st (2018)
Last updated on 2025.
France women's national handball team
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoTeam
Silver medal – second place2016 Rio de JaneiroTeam
Silver medal – second place2024 ParisTeam
World Championship
Gold medal – first place2003 Croatia
Gold medal – first place2017 Germany
Gold medal – first place2023 Denmark/Norway/Sweden
Silver medal – second place1999 Denmark/Norway
Silver medal – second place2009 China
Silver medal – second place2011 Brazil
Silver medal – second place2021 Spain
Bronze medal – third place2025 Germany/Netherlands
European Championship
Gold medal – first place2018 France
Silver medal – second place2020 Denmark
Bronze medal – third place2002 Denmark
Bronze medal – third place2006 Sweden
Bronze medal – third place2016 Sweden

The France women's national handball team is the national team of France. It is governed by the French Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions. The team is considered one of the strongest in the world, having won both World, Olympic and European gold.

Honours

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Competition1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Total
Olympic Games 1203
World Championship 3418
European Championship 1135
Total57416

Results

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Olympic Games

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Games Position Pld W D L GF GA GD
Canada 1976 Montrealdid not qualify
Soviet Union 1980 Moscow
United States 1984 Los Angeles
South Korea 1988 Seoul
Spain 1992 Barcelona
United States 1996 Atlanta
Australia 2000 Sydney6th7304180177+3
Greece 2004 Athens4th7304179182−3
China 2008 Beijing5th8404219217+2
United Kingdom 2012 London5th6411147126+21
Brazil 2016 Rio de Janeiro2nd place, silver medalist(s)8602188164+24
Japan 2020 Tokyo1st place, gold medalist(s)8512230209+21
France 2024 Paris2nd place, silver medalist(s)8701237204+33
United States 2028 Los AngelesTBD
Total6/12523221813801280+100

World Championship

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Year Position Pld W D L GS GA +/–
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1957did not qualify
Romania 1962
West Germany 1965
Netherlands 1971
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1973
Soviet Union 1975
Czechoslovakia 1978
Hungary 1982
Netherlands 198615th610589121−32
South Korea 199014th6204114137−23
Norway 1993did not qualify
AustriaHungary 1995
Germany 199710th6303160125+35
DenmarkNorway 19992nd 9702213178+35
Italy 20015th9702246207+39
Croatia 20031st 10901282224+58
Russia 200512th8305212199+13
France 20075th10703287251+36
China 20092nd 10703258219+39
Brazil 20112nd 9702268204+64
Serbia 20136th7601173121+52
Denmark 20157th9513227194+33
Germany 20171st 9711236189+47
Japan 201913th7412191138+53
Spain 20212nd 9801240197+43
DenmarkNorwaySweden 20231st 9900290228+62
GermanyNetherlands 20253rd 9702300223+77
Hungary 2027TBD
Spain 2029
Czech RepublicPoland 2031
Total17/281429934037863155+631

European Championship

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Year Position Pld W D L GS GA +/–
Germany 1994did not qualify
Denmark 1996
Netherlands 1998
Romania 20005th6402150125+25
Denmark 20023rd 8503189191−2
Hungary 200411th6105153177−24
Sweden 20063rd 8503203196+7
North Macedonia 200814th30037483−9
DenmarkNorway 20105th7502168153+15
Serbia 20129th6303140131+9
HungaryCroatia 20145th7511168150+18
Sweden 20163rd 8602183164+19
France 20181st 8611217181+36
DenmarkNorway 20202nd 8611209179+30
SloveniaNorth MacedoniaMontenegro 20224th8602222177+45
AustriaHungarySwitzerland 20244th9702255211+44
Czech RepublicPolandRomaniaSlovakiaTurkey 2026Qualified
DenmarkNorwaySweden 2028TBD
BelgiumFrance 2030Qualified as co-host
DenmarkGermanyPoland 2032TBD
Total14/20925933023312118+213

Other tournaments

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Team

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Current squad

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The squad for two qualification matches for the 2026 European Women's Handball Championship in April 2026.[1]

Head coach: Sébastien Gardillou

Caps and goals as of 12 April 2026.

No. Pos. Name Date of birth (age) Height App. Goals Club
1 GK Laura Glauser (1993-08-20) 20 August 1993 (age 33) 1.78 m 148 3 Hungary Ferencvárosi TC
4 LB Claire Vautier (1999-09-05) 5 September 1999 (age 26) 1.79 m 7 7 France JDA Dijon Handball
9 CB Lylou Borg (2005-05-31) 31 May 2005 (age 21) 1.75 m 8 16 France Metz Handball
11 RW Maureen Gayet (2002-05-14) 14 May 2002 (age 24) 1.75 m 2 5 France JDA Dijon Handball
12 GK Floriane André (2000-05-30) 30 May 2000 (age 26) 1.86 m 35 2 France Brest Bretagne Handball
18 P Lilou Pintat (2004-11-09) 9 November 2004 (age 21) 1.79 m 8 2 France JDA Dijon Handball
22 CB Tamara Horacek (c) (1995-11-05) 5 November 1995 (age 30) 1.78 m 125 266 Slovenia RK Krim
25 RB Emma Jacques (2001-11-29) 29 November 2001 (age 24) 1.90 m 18 18 Hungary Esztergomi KC
53 GK Léa Fargues (1998-06-07) 7 June 1998 (age 28) 1.75 m 1 0 France SATH
43 LW Kiara Tshimanga (2002-11-23) 23 November 2002 (age 23) 1.64 m 3 6 France Brest Bretagne Handball
48 P Hélèna Mathon (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 23) 1.77 m 2 6 France Handball Plan-de-Cuques
49 RB Eva Mbata (2004-08-09) 9 August 2004 (age 22) 1.75 m 1 0 France Saint-Amand Handball
50 RB Lucie Modenel (2002-02-05) 5 February 2002 (age 24) 1.70 m 2 3 France Chambray Touraine Handball
69 LB Coura Kanouté (2003-07-17) 17 July 2003 (age 23) 1.79 m 4 4 France Paris 92
77 P Emmanuelle Thobor (2002-08-08) 8 August 2002 (age 24) 1.85 m 2 4 France Paris 92
78 LB Enola Borg (2005-05-31) 31 May 2005 (age 21) 1.79 m 4 4 France Brest Bretagne Handball
86 LW Marine Dupuis (1992-04-18) 18 April 1992 (age 34) 1.68 m 9 17 France OGC Nice Côte d'Azur Handball
89 RW Manon Errard (2005-02-09) 9 February 2005 (age 21) 1.78 m 5 16 France Metz Handball

Extended squad / recent call-ups

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No. Pos. Name Date of birth (age) Height App. Goals Club
2 CB Méline Nocandy (1998-02-25) 25 February 1998 (age 28) 1.75 m 93 178 France Brest Bretagne Handball
3 RW Alicia Toublanc (1996-05-03) 3 May 1996 (age 30) 1.69 m 82 221 Hungary Debreceni VSC
5 LB Clarisse Mairot (2001-01-27) 27 January 2001 (age 25) 1.70 m 23 31 France Brest Bretagne Handball
6 LW Chloé Valentini (1995-04-19) 19 April 1995 (age 31) 1.65 m 110 328 France Metz Handball
10 CB Grâce Zaadi (c) (1993-07-07) 7 July 1993 (age 33) 1.71 m 207 411 France Metz Handball
14 LW Nina Dury (2004-01-16) 16 January 2004 (age 22) 1.74 m 17 41 France JDA Dijon Handball
15 RB Marie-Hélène Sajka (1997-09-13) 13 September 1997 (age 28) 1.85 m 18 22 France OGC Nice Côte d'Azur Handball
21 LB Orlane Kanor (1997-06-16) 16 June 1997 (age 29) 1.78 m 125 266 Hungary Ferencvárosi TC
26 P Pauletta Foppa (2000-12-22) 22 December 2000 (age 25) 1.77 m 122 306 France Brest Bretagne Handball
28 RW Lucie Granier (1999-06-11) 11 June 1999 (age 27) 1.67 m 81 191 France Metz Handball
29 P Oriane Ondono (1996-04-14) 14 April 1996 (age 30) 1.80 m 64 84 France Brest Bretagne Handball
30 GK Camille Depuiset (1998-10-19) 19 October 1998 (age 27) 1.79 m 14 1 France Brest Bretagne Handball
32 P Sarah Bouktit (2002-08-27) 27 August 2002 (age 24) 1.83 m 60 152 France Metz Handball
34 CB Léna Grandveau (2003-01-21) 21 January 2003 (age 23) 1.70 m 64 130 France Metz Handball
45 RW Sabrina Zazaï-Özil (1994-10-19) 19 October 1994 (age 31) 1.70 m 2 3 France ESBF Besançon
96 LB Fatou Karamoko (2005-12-14) 14 December 2005 (age 20) 1.76 m 9 1 France Stella Saint-Maur Handball
98 LW Suzanne Wajoka (2001-01-02) 2 January 2001 (age 25) 1.71 m 18 55 France Metz Handball
99 GK Hatadou Sako (1995-10-21) 21 October 1995 (age 30) 1.74 m 54 0 Hungary Győri ETO KC

Coaching staff

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RoleNameStart year
Head coach France Sébastien Gardillou 2024
Assistant coach France David Burgin 2024
Goalkeeping coach France Amandine Leynaud 2022

Notable players

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Several French players have seen their individual performance recognized at international tournaments.

MVP
All-Star Team

Individual all-time records

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  Still active players are highlighted

Head coach history

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Period Coach
1991–1997 France Carole Martin
1998–2013; 2016–2024 France Olivier Krumbholz
2013–2016 France Alain Portes
2024–present France Sébastien Gardillou

References

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  1. ↑ "EdFF – 5E TOUR – QUALIFICATIONS EHF EURO 2026 – PRÉSENTATION DE KOSOVO – FRANCE". French Handball Federation (in French). 4 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
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