Sensation at the Handball World Cup
DHB team overthrows world champions and is in the final
Updated 12/12/2025 – 7:23 p.mReading time: 7 minutes
At the Handball World Cup, the DHB women show their next extremely strong performance. The victory against defending champions France means the final.
Medal dream fulfilled, the World Cup miracle very close: Germany’s handball players sensationally stormed into the final of the World Cup and are now fighting for gold. With an exhilarating performance, national coach Markus Gaugisch’s team dethroned defending champions France in the semi-finals in Rotterdam with 29:23 (15:12) and can be crowned world champions for the second time since 1993 on Sunday.
“Hats off to the girls,” said Gaugisch at the ARD microphone: “You can see how cool they are and how confident they are in their strength: the defense. The whole week has been fantastic, you can’t get out of this feeling.”
The DHB selection, which has already secured the first German World Cup medal since 2007 with silver in their much-quoted “Christmas fairy tale”, shone with a fantastic defensive performance on Friday evening. The defense around Aimée von Pereira caused the French star ensemble to despair. When captain Antje Döll made it 24:19 with her ninth goal ten minutes before the end, the big final party began in the stands.
The whole game can be read in the ticker:
60th minute: France rejects again. Now Germany can run down the clock. Antl even scores again and then the game is over! Germany is in the final!
59th minute: Germany starts the next longer attack, Leuchter prevails and makes it 27:23. A very important hit! France made a technical mistake! That must have been it! Especially since Behrend scores in return!
57th minute: On the other hand, Mairot can shorten the score again, Germany is now taking its time in the attacks and trying to run down the clock. Leuchter throws from a distance, but misses. In return, Kanor shortened the score to 26:23.
55th minute: It didn’t achieve anything. Leuchter has to try from a distance and fails because of France’s goalkeeper. Filter also makes the next save, but the ball remains with France and Bouktit reduces the score to four goals. France now defends well, time play is indicated, but Vogel heaves the ball into the net from a distance!
54th minute: On the next attempt, Leuchter aims better and is five goals ahead. The German defense is back up and France makes a bad pass. National coach Markus Gaugisch is taking a break for the next German attack.
52nd minute: Kanor scores for France and in return Leuchter fails to hit the crossbar. But Grandveau can’t shorten it any further because she throws just over the German goal.
50th minute: France shortened the score to 23:19 and Vogel failed to score against France’s goalkeeper. But Filter also takes action against Grandveau. Antl gets the next seven meter for Germany and Döll puts the lead back to five goals.