World Cup fever, sporting crossovers and pre-season on the horizon

World Cup fever, sporting crossovers and pre-season on the horizon

Sunday’s football World Cup final captured the imagination of the handball world as regular rivals on the 40x20 metre court faced each other in Russia.

Brest Bretagne stars Cleopatre Darleux and Allison Pineau were among a host of French handball players enjoying World Cup football glory in Martinique as Les Bleus beat Croatia 4:2 to claim their second title in history.

Darleux and her French national teammates are in the Caribbean island for a series of friendly matches against Norway this week.

 

⭐️⭐️CHAMPIONS DU MONDE⭐️⭐️ Bravo @equipedefrance ☀️‍♀️#bleuetfier #fifaworldcup2018 #madinina2k18 #ehfeuro2018 #teamweleda @femmes_de_defis_officiel

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Cléopatre Darleux (@cleopatredarleux) am

Jul 15, 2018 um 10:27 PDT

The occasion even inspired PSG’s Luka Karabatic to show off some of his silky skills with a football.

 

Allez bonne nuit!! #onestchampionsdumonde⚽️ #2etoiles #piedscarrésoupas

Ein Beitrag geteilt von K A R A B A T I C L U K A (@lukakarabatic) am

Jul 15, 2018 um 12:17 PDT

Speaking of sporting crossovers, Odense’s new Dutch keeper Tess Wester showed top beach volleyball pair Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen who’s boss in a special kind of shootout.

 

Zijn ze er klaar voor?! 15 Juli begint het EK Beachvolleybal in Nederland. Aan mij de eer om @brouwermeeuwsen te testen in een kleine battle Wie wint?? (Voor de lange versie, check mijn Facebook!) #mannentegenhetmeisje #beetjeoneerlijk #tweetegeneen #kijkengijzultzien #wiedewinnaaris #EKispasbelangrijkboys #redbullgeeftjevleugels #tenminste #mijdan #bijdieboystwijffeliknog

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Tess Wester (@tessiewester) am

Jul 15, 2018 um 2:00 PDT

Barcelona’s Aron Palmarsson’s sporting pursuits are of a more relaxed nature as he enjoys a spot of fly fishing with the boys.

 

Fly fishing with the boys #aðaldalur

Ein Beitrag geteilt von aronpalm (@aronpalm) am

Jul 15, 2018 um 1:11 PDT

Nora Mork has been working non-stop throughout the summer, even on holidays, as she battles back from knee surgery, so it is great to see the Györ right back enjoying a break in Larvik at Stavernfestivalen.

 

Stavern : 10/10 ❤️

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Nora Mørk (@noramrk_9) am

Jul 15, 2018 um 10:40 PDT

Handball holidays are drawing to a close around Europe as a number of clubs begin pre-season training this week. Does anyone have as long a journey to begin pre-season as Meshkov Brest’s Sime Ivic?

 

Игроки со многих уголков Европы едут в Брест! Уже в понедельник команда соберется вместе! ‍♂️ Представляем путь Шиме Ивича #БГК #дорога

Ein Beitrag geteilt von ‍♂️HC Meshkov Brest (@meshkovbrest) am

Jul 15, 2018 um 12:30 PDT

The Belarusian club will be without talisman Rastko Stojkovic this season as he signed a contract with Israeli club Maccabi Rishon Lezion last week.

Tributes were flooding in for the Meshkov Brest hero, who had a huge part to play in their rise to the top table of European club handball.

Farewell Rastko Stojkovic! @bgk_meshkova #SEHALeague #Gazprom #Meshkov #Farewell pic.twitter.com/VpuDb7WZGJ

— SEHA-GAZPROM LEAGUE (@SEHALeague) 14. Juli 2018

Photo: Cleopatre Darleux / Instagram