Denmark were always a powerhouse in European handball, yet they failed to win a medal at a major tournament since 2013. But an emerging talent on the bench snapped that streak, announcing a comeback after finishing fourth at the Women’s EHF EURO 2020. When Jesper Jensen assumed the Denmark women’s national team coaching position, few would have expected the transition to be so fast. However, Jensen, who is also serving as Team Esbjerg’s coach since 2017, took Denmark to new heights.

With an iron-clad defence, Denmark conceded only one loss at the IHF Women’s World Championship 2021, sealing a bronze medal that will surely galvanise their roster for future competitions. Moreover, at club level, Jensen oversaw a huge change in mentality for Team Esbjerg, despite failing to win the domestic title and finishing fourth in the 2020/21 season. Esbjerg, an underdog in the DELO EHF Champions League, were in superb form in the last months and which they also brought into 2022, as the Danish side won their group against powerful rivals, qualifying directly to the quarter-finals.