Since January 2021, they have played everywhere: in Egypt for a reconstruction World Cup, in Montpellier for an Olympic qualifying tournament, in Tokyo to win the most beautiful medal in the universe, in Norway for anecdotal challenges of Golden League and in Hungary for a covid Euro at the start of the year.
But it's been two years since they last played a ball in their favorite room, the Accor Arena.
They became world champions there in 2001, before doing it again 16 years later in an atmosphere of madness.
Two years in the life of a handball player is long, almost endless, especially in time behind closed doors.
So, it is with a smile that the Blues have found their lair which they still call Bercy.
They have, above all, reconnected with their fans.
Since the start of the epidemic, they had not played in France in front of the public.
The silence ended up becoming too heavy.
"It's so nice to play in a room like that," sings Hugo Descat.
It was the first time I played here with the Blues.
The audience was fantastic.
I don't know yet where we will be playing in two years for 2024, but if the public is like that, it will be hard to beat us.
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Happy birthday to our three-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion, Nikola Karabatic 🥳🎂 pic.twitter.com/90SmcTAz4y
– French Handball Teams (@FRAHandball) April 11, 2022
This Thursday evening to challenge the vice-champions of Europe and vice-champions of the Spanish world, the great hall in eastern Paris has certainly not been completely full.
There were a few empty chairs upstairs.
Bringing together 15,000 people on a Thursday evening for a friendly match outside school holidays is quite a challenge.
But there were a lot of people, about 10,000 people, the atmosphere and above all happiness without a mask, flags waved to pay tribute to the heroes of French sport.
For example to Nikola Karabatic, the triple Olympic champion, who celebrated his 38th birthday this week.
We must take advantage of each of his appearances, because they will not be eternal even if in ordinary times, he plays Coubertin a few metro stations away.
So they all came to say thank you to the Tokyo champions they've only seen on TV or in the papers for so long.
Like Fanny who arrived from the Ardennes.
She regularly organizes trips to Paris and Dunkirk to see high-level matches: “We came to 67, all from the Bogny-Hautes Rivières club (210 members).
We left by bus from our house at 2:30 p.m., we planned wide because of the traffic jams when we arrived.
This is the first time in a long time that we can see our national team.
We missed the Blues.
We had planned the TQO last year, but it was canceled because of the Covid… Plus it's a great poster!
Before the game, the group stopped by the store to buy jerseys for the children.
After months of scarcity,
Hugo Descat was one of the best players of the evening Baptiste Fernandez/Icon Sport LP/Icon Sport/Baptiste Fernandez
The Blues had fun
Like this presentation of the teams finally in real life, no longer in virtual.
All the Blues were hailed, Nikola Karabatic was the most acclaimed.
La Marseillaise was sung in unison, a strong symbol between two election rounds.
The suffering Ukraine was not forgotten: thousands of hands clapped to pay homage to this people under the bombs: the first thrill of the evening.
A moment that pleased Alexandre.
With his tricolor feathered headgear, he did not go unnoticed.
This young goalkeeper who plays under 18 Excellence (regional level), paid particular attention to Vincent Gérard, his idol: "We criticized him a lot, it happens to everyone to have periods to empty.
Fortunately, thanks to his talent and experience, he was able to bounce back and show that he is one of the best in the world in his position.
It is especially him that I necessarily look at.
It can help me!
Among the crowd won over in advance, Edwin looked like an alien.
"I'm a former soccer player, this is the first time I've seen a handball match in my life!
I came to accompany my daughter Léna (11 years old), who plays in a club.
Without her I wouldn't be here.
It's very physical, I didn't expect to feel the impacts so well.
It's a great show.
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It's a great show.
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It's a great show.
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And the game?
oh yes the match between two of the best nations in the world.
He had no stake.
It was like everything else: festive and (very) unbridled.
“It was a great party and everything worked out for the best,” rejoices Vincent Gérard.
Everyone had fun.
The Blues largely won (44-33).
The Spaniards will try to take their revenge very quickly.
The two teams have an appointment on Saturday evening in Chambéry for a friendly revenge.