As of: April 3, 2024, 1:38 p.m
By: Melanie Gottschalk
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Mikkel Hansen is a superstar in his sport. The handball player will now end his successful career in the summer.
Munich – A really big guy leaves the stage! Danish handball superstar Mikkel Hansen will end his career in the summer. Media in his home country had been speculating about it for a few days, and on Wednesday the 36-year-old confirmed his departure in the summer.
World handball star Hansen is ending his career in the summer
“This summer is a good time to put my shoes aside,” Hansen said. Finally, he would “very much” like to take part in the Olympic Games in his former adopted home of Paris.
With Hansen, the sport is losing one of its biggest stars. The backcourt player was a three-time world handball player (2011, 2015 and 2018). He led the Danish national team to Olympic victory in 2016, to the World Cup title three times in a row (2019, 2021, 2023) and to the European Championship triumph in 2012. There are also six more medals at the three major events, in each of which Hansen is the record goalscorer.
Mikkel Hansen caused a sensation at the 2024 European Championships, but he will now be calling it a day in the summer. © Maximilian Koch/imago
Olympics as the crowning glory for handball star Hansen?
The Olympic Games (July 26 to August 11) could be the crowning achievement for Hansen, whose trademark is long hair and a headband. After ten years at Paris St. Germain, he returned to his native Denmark in 2022 and joined Aalborg. His contract there actually runs until 2025, but now he will end early.
The reason: Hansen had struggled with health problems several times in the recent past. After knee surgery in his final season at PSG, he suffered a pulmonary embolism. Back in Denmark, he was on sick leave for several months due to stress symptoms. He is currently out with a groin injury.
At the 2024 European Handball Championships in Germany, Hansen's team was in the final against France, but narrowly lost it 31:33 - but, unlike the DHB team, managed direct Olympic qualification. Coach Gislason's team was still able to get their ticket to the Olympic Games and, like Denmark, will be there in the summer.
(msb/dpa)