On this sunny Sunday afternoon in January in Cologne, we do not yet know the name of the winner of Euro 2024. But we do know who won: handball.
Across the Rhine, the popular success of the tournament is gigantic.
Germany invented this game a century ago and has never looked back.
Every week, the halls of his championship are full to bursting.
In two and a half weeks, the 64 matches of the competition were played behind closed doors, even those with small nations.
This represents an incredible average of 15,167 spectators per match.
The organizers estimate that, in total, nearly a million spectators attended this Euro in theaters from Düsseldorf to Berlin via Hamburg and Munich.
Never has a handball competition attracted so many people.
This incredible popular success was driven by the world record in terms of attendance for the two opening matches, on January 10, France-North Macedonia and Germany-Switzerland which attracted 53,586 spectators.
To understand the German people's love for this game, you have to attend a match of their national team on their land.
This was the case this Sunday, as a curtain-raiser to the much-anticipated France-Denmark.
The Nationalmannschaft challenges Sweden in the small final.
The match of the disappointed people of the last four, the one that no one ever wants to play.
For the occasion, the Lanxess Arena in Cologne is still full to the brim: 19,750 people have filled the immense hall by the end of the morning.
The Blues benefited from the support of the German people
This venue, larger than the Accor Arena in Paris, is a temple of this game. For ten years, the Final Four of the Champions League has taken place there.
PSG is still waiting to triumph there.
In July, the French basketball team, with Victor Wembanyama, will also come to play in this room, a match against the German world champions as preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics. In June, Germany will host another Euro : that of football.
It promises.
In the crowd, few came without a scarf, a cap, a hat, a black, yellow and red flag in the colors of Germany.
It sings, it laughs, it shouts, it knows the game and, above all, it encourages to the sounds of anthems that make you want to tap your feet: “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond or the inevitable start of “We will rock you” of Queen without forgetting the “Deutschland”, “Deutschland” which come down from the stands.
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The Blues will not soon forget the German support when, a few days ago, they had to win against Austria and Hungary for their selection to continue on its path.
A path that stopped during the small final against Sweden (34-31) despite the fervor.
The Swedes recovered from their heartbreaking defeat against the Blues in the semi-final on Friday, and this improbable goal from Elohim Prandi for the equalizer at the last second.
They leave Cologne with a bronze medal.
Above all, they leave with a qualification for Paris 2024 in their pocket.