Germany Triumphs Over France in European Handball Quarterfinals, Set to Face Croatia in Semifinals

Germany's national handball team secured a thrilling 38:34 victory against France in the European Championship quarterfinals, ensuring their advancement to the semifinals and avoiding a demotion to the fifth-place playoff. The match attracted a peak audience of 7.02 million viewers on ZDF, achieving a significant 42.1% market share, marking strong but not record-breaking viewership for the tournament.

The upcoming semifinal matchup against Croatia, scheduled for Friday at 17:45 in Herning, is highly anticipated due to historical challenges Germany has faced against Croatian rivals. Since 2019, Germany has not won a competitive match against Croatia, losing four consecutive encounters. However, recent test matches before the tournament showed promise, with Germany winning two friendly matches 32:29 in Zagreb and 33:27 in Hannover.

Croatia is now coached by Dagur Sigurdsson, who previously led the German team to their last major title in 2016. This sets up an intriguing confrontation between two Icelandic coaches, as Snorri Gudjonsson will lead Iceland against Denmark later the same evening. German head coach Alfred Gíslason expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, calling it "an outstanding performance" and signaling high hopes for medal contention this time around, contrasting Germany's semifinal loss to Denmark in 2024.

Goalkeeper Andreas Wolff tempered expectations by acknowledging Croatia's resilience and experience, noting that friendly match results might not fully predict the semifinal’s intensity. Sigurdsson recognized the hard work and team spirit that propelled Croatia to the semifinals, despite a challenging tournament start.

A victory against Croatia would propel Germany into the final, where they would face the winner of Denmark versus Iceland. The German team's intense quarterfinal victory and the promising preparations highlight a strong chance at continued success in the 2026 European Championship.