When the World Cup starts in Poland and Sweden in a few days, the hopes of the DHB also, or especially, rest on the playmaker of the Rhein-Neckar Löwen: Juri Knorr.
18 appearances, 117 goals, third place in the list of top scorers in the German Handball League: Juri Knorr is in top form. Consequently, the 22-year-old backcourt player is in the squad of national coach Alfred Gislason – even if there was a big question mark behind it for a long time. After all, Knorr, who was not vaccinated against the corona virus at the time, was absent from the 2022 European Championship due to the applicable 2G+ rules.
And according to the IHF regulations, only fully vaccinated and recovered players may participate in the upcoming World Championship. In December he made a secret of his current status in the “Sky” interview: “As I said, I was in exchange with the DHB. You will then see whether I am in the squad or not.”
The future of German handball
He is with us. Knorr is considered the great hope of German handball, but tries to hide the expectations: “Of course it’s nice that something is expected of me, and it’s also my goal that I play a bigger role than in the tournaments before,” said the 22-year-old in the Sportschau interview on Thursday.
In any case, Knorr is not afraid of big names. At the age of 18, the right-hander moved to Spain to FC Barcelona, where he became champion in 2019. His way into the handball Bundesliga led through GWD Minden before he finally switched to Rhein-Neckar Löwen after two seasons. He’s at the World Cup one of four lions in Alfred Gislason’s team. In addition to Knorr, Mannheim’s Patrick Groetzki (right winger), Jannik Kohlbacher (circle player) and goalkeeper Joel Birlehm are also in the German squad.
Knorr one of four lions in the DHB team
In his first season with the lions, Knorr had to line up behind veteran Andy Schmid in the backcourt. Since his departure to Switzerland the native of Flensburg is in the front row and repays the trust with consistently good performances. Knorr has become an integral part of the two-time German champions. “He’s someone who will be very important to us at this tournament and hopefully for the future as well,” said national coach Gislason about Knorr when the squad was announced.
Nevertheless, there will be a change for Knorr & Co. at the World Cup: “You have little time to form the team. The main focus is that we work as a whole and the tactics and agreements work. That differs from the club.” , says Knorr.
In the last Bundesliga game before the World Cup break against ASV Hamm-Westfalen, Juri Knorr scored eleven times in 13 shots. That also gives him a push for the World Cup. “Of course it gives me confidence and it’s nice when things go well at the club, but I also know how things can go differently, I experienced that last year. That’s why I’m humble enough.”
Juri Knorr’s qualities will be of great importance for the German national team. Serbia, Algeria and Asian champion Qatar are the opponents in the German group.
