The more EHF Champions League stars you have in your national team, the bigger the success - this is one lesson of the Women’s World Championship 2021 in Spain, which concluded on Sunday night.
Norway took their fourth title on the global stage by beating France in the final 29:22 (12:16). Each side counted on 14 players, signed by DELO EHF Champions League clubs, bronze medallists Denmark had ten players plus coach Jesper Jensen, coming from Champions League clubs, compared to only two from fourth ranked World Championship hosts Spain. Those 38 medallists come from ten different top flight clubs.
Champions League record winners Györ is the only side represented in all three squads Norway, France and Denmark with seven players, including World Championship MVP Kari Dahl Brattset. And Györ was even the only club represented by both finalists.
Like Györ, Danish side Esbjerg will warmly welcome seven medallists of Spain 2021: five winners from Norway including All-star team left back Henny Reistad and two from Denmark, plus their coach Jensen.
Three clubs were on five medal winners: Odense from Denmark and the French sides Metz and Brest.
2021 finalists Brest are the club with the highest number of All-star team players: Danish goalkeeper Sandra Toft, French line player Pauletta Foppa and French left wing Coralie Lassource.
Norwegian right back Nora Mørk is the only All-star team member of current Champions League winners Vipers, while CSM is represented by Spain’s Carmen Martin in the top selection of the tournament, Russian runners-up Rostov by French playmaker Grace Zaadi. The top scorer of the event is Swedish Nathalie Hagman from European League winners Nantes with 71 goals in only seven matches.
Champions League clubs with medallists from the World Championship 2021 in Spain:
7 players: Györ (4 NOR/2 FRA/1 DEN)
7 players: Esbjerg (5 NOR/2 DEN)
5 players: Brest Bretagne (4 FRA/1 DEN)
5 players: Metz (4 FRA/1 DEN)
5 players: Odense (4 DEN/1 NOR)
2 players: Krim (2 FRA)
2 players: Rostov (2 FRA)
2 players: CSM Bucharest (2 NOR)
2 players: Vipers (2 NOR)
1 player: CSKA (1 DEN)
The Allstar team of the WWCH 2021:
Goalkeeper: Sandra Toft (Denmark/Brest)
Left wing: Coralie Lassource (France/Brest)
Left back: Henny Reistad (Norway/Esbjerg)
Centre back: Grâce Zaadi (France/Rostov)
Right back: Nora Mørk (Norway/Vipers)
Right wing: Carmen Martin (Spain/CSM Bucharest)
Line player: Pauletta Foppa (France/Brest)
MVP: Kari Brattset Dale (Norway/Györ)
Top scorer: Nathalie Hagman (Sweden/Nantes) with 71 goals
Photo: IHF/Jozo Cabraja
