The 2024 European Championship is getting closer, and in a series of articles Ola Selby, reporter at GoHandball, picks his 5 best players at each position. Last up is the defensive players.
Here are the players:
Estelle Nze Minko, France
Possesses aggressiveness, balance, strength and nimble feet that few other players in women’s handball. Nze Minko’s defensive play undoubtedly has a very large part in the success that France has had in recent years.
Line Haugsted, Denmark
Was probably even better a few years ago before she got injured, but Haugsted is still top class, which she showed in both the club team Team Esbjerg during the fall but also for the national team for several years. Almost complete as a defender as she combines strength with quickness.
Kari Brattset Dale, Norway
Is Brattset Dale the world’s best two-way pivot? Probably, in competition with above all Pauletta Foppa and Linn Blohm. Dale is just as good up front as he is at the back and maybe the Norwegian defensive game will have to be decisive in a different way during the EC than it had to be before, now that Oftedal and Mörk are missing.
Linn Blohm, Sweden
It wasn’t many years ago that most of the focus on Linn Blohm was on what an incredibly skilled offensive player she was. And it was true. In the Swedish defensive game, the most talked about, with all right, was how skilled Anna Lagerquist was. But in Lagerquist’s absence, Blohm’s defensive skills have been seen more, while the line player has developed significantly defensively since Tomas Axnér and Johanna Wiberg took over the national team.
Kelly Dulfer, Netherlands
One of the most underrated players in top handball. Dulfer is the most important player in the Netherlands’ defensive game and that is thanks to her smartness and long octopus arms.