Can France win back-to-back Olympic titles on their home court? This will be the question which will headline the women’s competition at Paris 2024, as the hosts embark for the final chapter of Olivier Krumbholz’s story on the bench of “Les Bleuses”.

The legendary coach has been the common denominator for all the editions France took part in at the Olympics, from Sydney 2000 to Paris 2024, as Krumbholz will lead his side for the seventh and final time. The consistency has been fantastic, with France being a part of the Olympic Games for every edition since Sydney, never finishing lower than the sixth place in 2000.

Since 2016, the hosts at Paris 2024 have been absolutely superb, securing a silver medal at Rio and their first title at Tokyo 2020, while also clinching the title at the EHF EURO 2018, the silver medals at the EHF EURO 2020 and the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship, as well as the title at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship.

Therefore, France are definitely slated to be one of the top candidates for a medal at Paris 2024, with the support of the fans behind them, a fantastic team which has players in their prime featuring on the court and a fantastic system which served the reigning Olympic champions well in the past years, as proven by their excellent results.

Add Krumbholz’s farewell to the mix, and France will be thoroughly motivated and prepared to deliver some good results, even if they had a mixed bag in their performances in friendly matches. Wins against Angola (33:20) and Norway (25:19) have been overshadowed by a loss against the Scandinavian side, 22:34, but France know fully well that friendly matches are different than real tests.

“The list of 17 players was quite easy to make, apart from one position where there were really three excellent players in competition and we had to decide. The list of 14 + 3 was much more complex to make because we are still very early in the event and a lot of things can change. I put together a team with youth and punch with the goal of having a lot of physical strength,” says Krumbholz

“It is a collective that will be armed and dangerous at the Olympic Games, even if there will be young players in certain positions. There is experience in this collective that I ultimately find balanced. We can have problems, and need to look to the list of replacements. I think much more on the notion of 17 than that of 14 and I know that the players currently identified as replacements will continue to work, they have accepted the position given to them, while preparing to play a major role if that were to happen.”

France have a huge arsenal, with experienced players like backs Estelle Nze Minko and Grace Zaadi, line player Pauletta Foppa, goalkeepers Laura Glauser and Hatadou Sako, plus the 2023 IHF Young Female Player of the Year, Lena Grandveau, in their ranks, with plenty of firewpower and defensive nous to keep opponents guessing.

The hosts will face three European sides – Hungary, Netherlands and Spain – in their group, alongside Brazil and Angola, two continental champions, as none of the matches will be easy, yet France avoid powerhouses like Denmark and Norway on their way to the knockout phases of Paris 2024, where anything can happen.

France

Coach: Olivier Krumbholz

Key Players: Estelle Nze Minko (left back), Grace Zaadi (centre back), Pauletta Foppa (line player)

Qualification for Paris 2024: Hosts

Previous appearances: 2000: 6th, 2004: 4th, 2008: 5th, 2012: 5th, 2016: Silver medal, 2020: Champions 

Group at Paris 2024: Group B: Hungary, Netherlands, Spain, France, Brazil, Angola