Aalsmeer handball players back after impressive World Cup adventure: “Whole happening”

“I found it very impressive,” says Jeffrey Boomhouwer to NH Sport. “This was the first time that I was active at a World Cup and for me personally this meant my last trick after a long international career.” Samir Benghanem also looks back with pride on his time with the Dutch team. “We performed great as a team. Especially against Norway. We lost to the Norwegians, but certainly not without a chance. That gave us the feeling that we as the Netherlands are on the right track.”

“Happening”

“We expected that we could win those first two games”, Boomhouwer looks back on the victories against Argentina and North Macedonia. “Just not that we would win both duels with a ten-point difference. And we just lose against a top country like Norway, so we show that we are close to the top.” After the Scandinavian country, the Netherlands finished second in the preliminary round. In the final round, the Orange did not get further than fourth place. “We showed good handball and I think we can be satisfied with the final fourteenth place.” The last time the Netherlands was active in a global final tournament was in 1961. “It’s just a pity that people at home could only watch it on Viaplay and not on the open net. A big difference with Germany, where more than six million people watched.”

Text continues below the tweet.

“I now played against handball players that I normally only see on TV when I watch the handball Champions League,” said Benghanem, who plays with Aalsmeer in the national competition and in the BENE League. “Against Germany, the entire stadium is packed, that’s ten thousand handball fans. In the Netherlands we already dream of a thousand people coming to watch. That cannot be compared.”

After 101 international matches, the 34-year-old Boomhouwer thinks it’s enough and puts an end to his career with the Orange. “I notice that my body is not getting fitter. Plus I have a family with two daughters. I also want to focus on my social career. It’s time for a new generation.” This season Boomhouwer returned to the Dutch league at Aalsmeer after an adventure of twelve years in Germany. “I will soon have a meeting with the club to talk about my future. There are opportunities in the field of trainers, because I have my papers and I train already a top sports team at Aalsmeer.”

“Present Tray”

Benghanem does not want to know anything about stopping for the time being. The 29-year-old circle player already made his debut for the Orange squad in 2013. “A new generation is coming and I also like to make room for it. At least if they are better, because I don’t give them my place in the selection on a silver platter. So as long as I can handle it physically, I will remain international.”

Aalsmeer resumes the BENE-League on Tuesday 31 January. In Limburg Lions is the opponent. And that’s number two in the ranking. Aalsmeer itself is in third place after 22 rounds.