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French handball players

42 articles

Alexandra Lacrabere

Alexandra Lacrabere (Alexandra Maïté Lacrabère), French right back born 1987 in Pau; 256 caps, 833 goals for France 2006-2021; Olympic gold 2021, world title 2017, Euro 2018; retired May 2023; Hall of Fame 2023.

Allison Pineau

Allison Marie Pineau, French handball centre back born 1989 in Chartres; 2009 IHF World Player of the Year, Olympic gold Tokyo 2020, silver Rio 2016, world champion 2017, European champion 2018, 273 caps, retired 2025 with Metz Handball.

Amandine Leynaud

Amandine Leynaud is a French former handball goalkeeper, born in 1986, who won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, the 2017 World Championship, and retired in 2022.

Beatrice Edwige

Béatrice Edwige (Béatrice Seynabou Edwige), born 1988, French pivot and defensive specialist; Olympic gold 2020, silver 2016, world champion 2017, European champion 2018; first Guianese Olympic handball player; retired 2025.

Bertrand Gille

Bertrand Gille (born 1978, Valence), nicknamed Bobo, French handball pivot, brother of Guillaume Gille; double Olympic champion 2008 and 2012, world champion 2001 and 2011, European champion 2006 and 2010, IHF World Player of the Year 2002, 268 France caps.

Blandine Dancette

Blandine Dancette, French right wing handballer (born 1988, Firminy), Nîmes, Chambray and Nantes player; Olympic gold Tokyo 2020, silver Rio 2016, world champion 2017 with France; retired 2021.

Cedric Burdet

Cedric Burdet, French handball back born 1974 in Belley; Olympic gold 2008 with France, Montpellier HB and Gummersbach; not the biathlon coach Cyril Burdet.

Cedric Paty

Cedric Paty (Cédric Olivier Paty, born 1981) is a French retired handball right wing for Chambéry Savoie Handball who won Olympic gold with France at Beijing 2008 as the 15th man replacing injured Jérôme Fernandez, plus 2008 European bronze.

Cedric Sorhaindo

Cedric Sorhaindo (Cédric Sorhaindo, born 1984, La Trinité, Martinique) is a French handball pivot, 220 caps for France, Olympic gold 2012, four world and two European titles, three Champions Leagues with Barcelona; retired 2026 with Besiktas.

Christophe Kempe

Christophe Kempé is a retired French handball pivot, born in 1975 in Aubervilliers, who won Olympic gold with France at the 2008 Games, European gold in 2006, and world gold in 2009.

Cleopatre Darleux

Cléopatre Darleux (Cléopâtre Darleux Mingam), born 1989, French handball goalkeeper; Olympic gold Tokyo 2020, world champion 2017, retired June 2025, now Brest sporting director.

Daouda Karaboue

Daouda Karaboué, born 1975 in Abidjan, is a French-Ivorian retired handball goalkeeper; two Olympic golds (2008, 2012), world and European champion with France, Montpellier and Toulouse player, later goalkeeper coach.

Didier Dinart

Didier Dinart (La Roca), born 1977 in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, French handball defender; Olympic gold 2008 and 2012, three world titles, two EHF EURO titles, four Champions Leagues; France head coach 2016–2020, later US Ivry and Montenegro coach.

Dika Mem

Dika Mem (born 1997, Paris), French handball right back for FC Barcelona and captain; world champion 2017, Olympic champion Tokyo 2020, European champion 2024; joining Füchse Berlin in 2027.

Estelle Nze Minko

Estelle Nze Minko (born 1991) is a French handball left back, captain of Les Bleues since 2022 and a Györ player, Olympic champion Tokyo 2020, world champion 2017 and 2023, and pregnant on break since September 2025.

Grace Zaadi

Grace Zaadi Deuna, French handball centre back (born 1993, Courcouronnes), Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist and All-star best centre back, world champion 2017 and 2023 with France; clubs Metz, Rostov-Don, CSM Bucuresti, Krim, Ramnicu Valcea.

Guillaume Gille

Guillaume Gille (born 1976, Valence, France), French handball back and coach; 308 caps, Olympic gold 2008 and 2012 as player, Olympic gold Tokyo 2020 and Euro 2024 as France head coach; brother of Bertrand Gille.

Guillaume Joli

Guillaume Joli, born 1985 in Lyon, is a French handball right wing, Olympic champion 2012, three-time world champion (2009, 2011, 2015) and double European champion (2010, 2014); retired 2019, now a France national team assistant coach.

Jerome Fernandez

Jerome Fernandez (Jérôme Fernandez), French handball left back born 1977 in Cenon; two Olympic golds (2008, 2012), four world and three European titles with France, record 1,463 national-team goals in 390 caps.

Joel Abati

Joel Abati (Joël Marc Abati), French handball right back born 1970 in Fort-de-France, Martinique; Olympic gold 2008, world champion 2001 and 2009, decade at SC Magdeburg.

Kentin Mahe

Kentin Mahé (Kentin Alain Pierre-Marie Mahé), French handball centre back and left wing born 1991 in Paris, son of 1995 world champion Pascal Mahé; world champion 2015 and 2017, European champion 2014 and 2024, Olympic gold 2021, career played only in Germany and Hungary.

Laura Flippes

Laura Flippes (Laura Esther Ghislaine Flippes, born 1994, Strasbourg) is a French left-handed handball right back/wing, Olympic gold medalist Tokyo 2020, silver Paris 2024, World champion 2017 and 2023, European champion 2018, playing for Metz Handball.

Luc Abalo

Luc Abalo (born 1984, Ivry-sur-Seine) is a retired French right wing. Three-time Olympic champion, three-time World and European champion with Les Experts; 289 caps, 859 goals; 2009 Champions League with Ciudad Real; retired February 2023.

Ludovic Fabregas

Ludovic Fabregas, born 1996 in Perpignan, French handball pivot for FC Barcelona and captain of France; Olympic gold 2020, world champion 2017, European champion 2024, four Champions League titles.

Luka Karabatic

Luka Karabatić (born 1988, Strasbourg) is a French handball pivot, brother of Nikola Karabatic. Olympic gold 2020 and silver 2016, two world and two European titles; PSG captain and record 22-club-title holder.

Meline Nocandy

Méline Nocandy, French handball centre back born 1998 in Saint-Claude, Guadeloupe; clubs Metz, Paris 92, Brest; Olympic gold Tokyo 2020 and silver Paris 2024; world champion 2023 with France.

Melvyn Richardson

Melvyn Michel Pierre Richardson, born 1997 in Marseille, French handball right back, son of Jackson Richardson; Olympic gold medalist Tokyo 2020 with France, three Champions League titles, now with Orlen Wisła Płock.

Nedim Remili

Nedim Remili (born 1995, Créteil) is a French handball right back and centre back for One Veszprém HC; 2017 world champion, Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist, and MVP of Euro 2024, withdrawn injured from Euro 2026.

Nicolas Tournat

Nicolas Tournat, born 1994 in Niort, French handball pivot (2.00 m, 116 kg) for HBC Nantes and KS Kielce; Olympic champion 2020, European champion 2024, world silver 2023, France captain 2025.

Oceane Sercien Ugolin

Océane Sercien-Ugolin, born 1997 in Cherbourg, is a French right back who won handball gold at Tokyo 2020, silver at Euro 2020, and the 2022-23 Champions League with Vipers Kristiansand; now at DVSC Schaeffler.