It was a farewell of sorts. But a golden farewell, the type of which players will remember forever.

Norway have been a truly dominating force in women’s handball for the past decades. Since 1998, they have won nine European titles, four world titles and now, after Paris 2024, they are the team with the joint-largest number of gold medals at the Olympic Games, three.

This Norway side has constantly regenerated, having a clear plan, a system, with only three coaches leading the team since 1984 – Sven Tore Jacobsen, Marit Breivik and Thorir Hergeirsson.

But now, after the huge adrenaline rush after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they won their third Olympics title, with a seven-match winning streak after a loss against Sweden in the opener, the Scandinavian powerhouse will be at a crossroads.

Centre back Stine Bredal Oftedal, who finished her career with her maiden Olympic Games gold medal, will retire. Goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, the MVP at Paris 2024, is 44 years old and “maybe will play one or two years more,” according to Hergeirsson. 

Nora Mørk, who also secured her maiden gold medal at the Olympics, needs “a rest”. Left wing Camilla Herrem, who is 37 years old and just won her fourth medal at the Olympic Games, is also closer to the end of her career rather than its start.

Lunde is now the most decorated player in the women’s handball competition at the Olympics, with three gold medals and two bronze medals. Herrem is the second-most decorated player in the history, with four medals, tying former teammate Marit Malm Frafjord.

"I will evaluate this afterwards. I can't stand here saying that I've played my last international game but I can also not stand here saying that I've got a lot of coming tournaments on my mind. There probably aren't," says Mørk.

In the last 26 years, Norway have won 29 medals in major international competitions – the IHF Women’s World Championship, the Olympic Games and the EHF EURO. It is a remarkable feature of consistency for the Scandinavian side, which changed generations, added new players and even challenged themselves even higher.

In a bid to improve, they also struck a partnership with France, as the two teams which collided in the last two Olympics finals – Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 – and in the last two World Championship finals in 2021 and 2023, trained together, played friendly matches and even developed a mutual respect relationship, all to help each other dominate.

“We have been rivals, but we also tried to be better and challenge ourselves. We know each other very well, but it is a huge admiration and respect between us. Only like this we can progress,” says Norway’s coach Hergeirsson.

He has been in this position since 2009, but hinted at leaving after the gold medal match at Paris 2024, underlining that he “does not know exactly what the future holds.” A decision will be taken after the celebrations are over and a meeting with the Norwegian Handball Federation takes place.

If uncertainty hovers over the future of key members, one thing is certain. This was the last match in Stine Oftedal’s career and what a performance she has delivered. The centre back was all over the court, scoring, assisting, fighting for every ball like it was the last.

Until it really was the last. Immediately after the end of the match, Oftedal shared some moments with her club teammate, Estelle Nze Minko. The two hugged for over a minute, with Oftedal comforting Nze Minko, both members of the All-Star team at Paris 2024.

“I told Stine that she has been amazing. She has been a role model. She inspired us all. She was fantastic and it is really sad to see her retiring, because she could have played more,” said a tear-eyed Nze Minko after the end of the match.

Oftedal was carried on her shoulders by her teammates, who gave her a special farewell, after she finished the competition with 25 goals and a tournament-high 51 assists. But this was her maiden gold medal at the Olympics, completing her trophy cabinet, which only missed the Olympic title.

"It was a tournament of feelings. We've cried a lot together, worked a lot together and had fun. We knew that this day would come but we, especially she, took it very well," said Mørk.

Prior to the final whistle, even a player who has seen it all, like Oftedal, started crying, with emotions running high, as Norway ran away with a 29:21 win, the largest margin in an Olympic final in the women’s handball competition.

“I can't believe it. In our last moment together. It means an incredible amount to us,” said Oftedal.

With another Olympics edition in the bag for Norway, the plans for the future start immediately.

“We have some excellent players we have been developing in the B-team in the last years. You will see them in the future,” says Hergeirsson.

But maybe for one night, or some more nights, Norway will not think of the future. They will revel in their performance and celebrate another gold medal. The last dance for Oftedal. And one of the last for Lunde or Mørk.