The event, a fantastic match & Germany’s future – here are Ola Selby’s three takeaways after Denmark defeated Germany to win the European Championship gold.
The event
Is the EHF an “event company,” as Dagur Sigurdsson so creatively put it? Essentially, no. Still, I can’t help but get slightly annoyed by the constant music that starts playing the moment the final whistle blows. I understand that it helps get the crowd clapping, but if the crowd is already singing chants, surely there should be enough feel for the game to let that moment breathe and take in what’s happening around you?
On several occasions, the endless music actually suffocated the atmosphere instead of enhancing it. Music during games is fine, but the eagerness to always maintain a high-energy vibe has gone too far. Trust the crowd instead – especially in the Boxen, where the atmosphere is always electric. Do it over. Do it right.
Fantastic match
In the final, there wasn’t an abundance of diving or exaggerated reactions from the players – neither after contact with opponents nor following refereeing decisions. Refreshing. Liberating. Sure, it happened a few times here as well, but it was nowhere near the level we saw, for example, in the semi-final between Denmark and Iceland, where every decision was debated and the theatrics and embellishments were raining down from the players.
This time, the focus was on handball – and imagine that, it made the game so much more enjoyable to watch. Intense, fast-paced, and with an insanely high individual skill level. And it delivered right to the final whistle – a true handball celebration.
Germany’s future
Germany will be a force at the top level for many years to come. I would be hugely surprised if this team doesn’t play several more finals in the coming years. The core of the squad is young, and they have players – some already in the squad, others just outside it – who will only continue to improve.
Not exactly a bold prediction, I know, but Germany have more finals ahead of them, most likely against Denmark. This final, if nothing else, showed just how close they already are to Denmark.