The goals of the Füchse Berlin before the start of the season on Sunday are big. This also applies to newcomer Mathias Gidsel, one of the best handball players in Europe. He talks about his first weeks in Berlin as a “child from the Danish village” and his role in the team.
Last year, the foxes Berlin managed a real transfer coup. Immediately after the Olympic Games in Tokyo, they signed Mathias Gidsel, the most sought-after backcourt player in Europe at the time, for the 2022/23 season. The 23-year-old has already been world champion, Olympic silver medalist and bronze medalist at the 2022 European Championships with Denmark. Gidsel was voted into the all-star team at all three tournaments. Next Sunday (4:05 p.m.) he starts the new season with the foxes at home against Göppingen.
rbb|24: Mr. Gidsel, you come from a small town in Denmark. How was the changeover to the big city of Berlin within the first four weeks?
Mathias Gidsel: I grew up in the small town of Skjern on the Ringkobing Fjord. Only 8,000 people live there. My first professional club GOG Gudme, with which I finally became Danish champion, is on the island of Funen. It’s much quieter there. Berlin is already a big change. A lot is new for me. I have to adjust to the size and have a lot to learn to find my way around here. But what the city offers is great. I can do almost anything here. I enjoy the food, the culture and the historical ambience. For me, Berlin is a great project.
After winning the World Cup with Denmark and the 2021 Olympics, where you were voted Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, Europe’s top clubs clamored for you. Why did you choose the foxes?
Mathias Gidsel: The decision wasn’t easy. There were many clubs to choose from. But it was always a dream of mine to play in the German Bundesliga. I had long discussions with my agent and my family. Then Füchse sports director Stefan Kretzschmar called and told me about the Berlin handball project. That got me even more interested in the Bundesliga, but also in Berlin as a big city and of course the foxes. With GOG Gudme, a rather small club in Denmark, we had a long-distance duel against Aalborg for the title for several years. They had to be defeated. Here in Germany there are several clubs that play at the top and with which we have to measure ourselves. I find that exciting.
What appeal does that have for you?
Mathias Gidsel: I didn’t come to Berlin to finish third, fourth or fifth here. I know that some clubs in the Bundesliga want the title. The foxes are a little smaller than the other clubs and have a little less money. So we have to work harder than the others to catch up. That excites me more than being the big favourite.
Do you believe in the first German Foxes Championships in Berlin?
Mathias Gidsel: Every day counts. Every day we have to train hard to live the ultimate dream of championship. A city like Berlin needs a champion team. I want to contribute to this.
For a 23-year-old young man, you seem very thoughtful. Do you also have leadership claims within the team?
Mathias Gidsel: Yes, I’m still young. But I’ve gained a lot of experience in the Danish national team in recent years. I can pass that on. I want to be a leader, a leader on this team. I need a little more time, I’ve only been here for a month. I am someone who leads the way, on whom others can look and trust. I will give 100 percent for the club to live the dream of the championship. Yes, I can repeat it: I want to be a leader.
Further development as a mission in two respects
At the beginning of July, Frank von Behren will take up his post as the new managing director of VfL Potsdam. In cooperation with the Foxes and Bob Hanning, he is pursuing the dream of elite handball training in Berlin and Brandenburg. By Jakob Lobachmore
Very confident, Mr. Gidsel. After all the awards and titles with the Danish national team, do you actually feel like a handball superstar?
Mathias Gidsel: No, I’m the boy from the village. I don’t consider myself a superstar or someone particularly special. I’m part of the team. A guy who wakes up every morning and feels like playing handball. I’m not the savior or the high achiever, I’m just a piece of a big puzzle. And that’s why I say: I’m a normal kid from a Danish village with a passion for handball. And I hope to show that to the audience in the hall in the next few weeks.
Broadcast: rbb24, August 29, 2022, 6 p.m
