Emil Nielsen is the only man in 2024 to win both Olympic gold and the EHF Champions League title. The 27-year-old has reached the pinnacle of the sport and had a big part to play in both title runs.
“This year has definitely been crazy for me. Silver in the EURO, gold in the Champions League and gold at the Olympics, I can’t ask for more.
“For me, this is the biggest thing you can achieve as an athlete, I’m so pleased. This team is great, this team is amazing, we are playing some of the best handball I’ve ever seen, we have been amazing throughout this tournament.”
Flawless display
Sunday’s 39:26 hammering of Germany in the final comes on the back of a pair of knockout victories that went right down to the wire. The win over Slovenia in the semi-final left the team with mixed feelings on Friday but it fuelled the fire to set the record straight when it mattered most.
“You know, it was a weird feeling. Of course, we were really happy to be in the final but at the same time we have such a strong winner’s mentality that the performance in the second half was not good enough. So in the end, we know what we’re capable of and we showed it today, that’s why we’re standing here with the gold medal.
“Perhaps we need to be a little more cynical in the upcoming years because against Sweden and Slovenia, it was a little too close. But no matter what, we would have been ready for the final.
“Today we were the better team, easy as that. We played some of the best defence I’ve ever seen, fantastic in attack. You cannot point out a single thing we did wrong today.”
“I asked Niklas if that’s what he really wanted”
Nielsen came on for Niklas Landin in the final minutes of what is his final game in a Denmark jersey, much to the surprise of the Barca keeper. Both men’s reactions say a lot about their characters and that of the team as a whole
“I asked Niklas if that’s what he really wanted, to change, because it’s his last game with the national team and in my opinion, he has deserved every single minute on the court. Hopefully, I will experience another Olympic final in the future.
“I wanted to give him that, Nikolaj wanted to give him that, but he thought it would be a good thing to share it with the whole group. I’m happy to be a part of it but no matter what, I don’t care about playing as long as we’re winning.”
This was the last international game for Niklas Landin and the last handball game for Mikkel Hansen, while we’re unlikely to see Hans Lindberg, Henrik Møllgaard or Lauge at another Olympics. Nielsen will be in good company with the current crop of talent and more on the way through the Danish system, but for now, he is happy to enjoy the culmination of a long road with this team, who have won their second Olympic gold in eight years.
“It’s a pleasure to be a part of this team and I’m thrilled to be here. We have been through a lot, the final loss in January was tough on us and we really wanted that revenge. We didn’t get it on France, unfortunately, but in the end it doesn’t matter. That’s also why this is such a big win for us. “