The French Handball Federation has officially revealed the names of the 19 players who will start Euro-2024 (November 28-December 15) on Thursday, a list without much surprise for coach Sébastien Gardillou’s first competition.
All the players present last weekend in Saint-Chamond for the last two preparation matches against Spain (28-27 defeat) and Angola (30-24 victory) will be on the trip, led by the captain Estelle Nze Minko.
Only goalkeeper Catherine Gabriel, 30, will not reach Switzerland, even if she remains available to the group. Brestoise Floriane André, who made an excellent start against Angola on Sunday, Laura Glauser and Hatadou Sako will be the three players to keep the French cages during this Euro.
Saved for the match against the Angolans, after a shock against Spain, center-half Grace Zaadi will be there. Brest left-back Clarisse Mairot, who made her first selections after the Olympic Games, is also there, unlike her club teammate Méline Nocandy, who is injured. In total, 15 of the 19 players selected were Olympic vice-champions this summer in Paris.
The Blues of new coach Sébastien Gardillou, former assistant to the emblematic Olivier Krumbholz, will begin their Euro (in Switzerland, Austria and Hungary) on Thursday against Poland in Basel (8:30 p.m.). They will then meet Spain and Portugal to close the preliminary round of the competition.
The list of 19 players selected
Goalkeepers: Floriane André (Brest, 24 years old), Laura Glauser (FTC Rail Cargo/HUN, 31 years old), Hatadou Sako (Györ/HUN, 29 years old)
Back: Orlane Kanor (FTC Rail Cargo/HUN, 27 years old), Clarisse Mairot (Brest, 23 years old), Estelle Nze Minko (Gyor/HUN, 33 years old), Laura Flippes (Metz, 29 years old), Léna Grandveau (Metz, 21 years old), Déborah Lassource (Dortmund/ALL, 25 years old)
Wingers: Coralie Lassource (Brest, 32 years old), Chloé Valentini (Metz, 29 years old), Pauline Coatanea (Brest, 31 years old), Lucie Granier (Metz, 25 years old), Alicia Toublanc (SCM Ramnicu Valcea/ROU, 28 years old)
Demi-centres: Tamara Horacek (Crimea Ljubljana/SLO, 29 years old), Grâce Zaadi Deuna (Crimea Ljubljana/SLO, 31 years old)
Pivots: Sarah Bouktit (Metz, 22 years old), Pauletta Foppa (Brest, 23 years old), Oriane Ondono (Brest, 28 years old)
