Role Models

Estelle Nze Minko

"If I could talk to the youngest 'me,' I would be so excited to tell her, like, 'Come on girl! Just go further. You can do it!' And when I see now and look back on the life I had and the career I had thanks to handball, the people I met, of course I would want a lot of girls to go through this and to have all of this joy, experience, but I also know that we have to give these young girls a chance to actually achieve it. We have to give them the opportunities, the comforts, what they need to actually stay in handball."

August 2025

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Why Estelle as a role model?

A true character as well as an enormously successful athlete, Estelle Nze Minko is a natural fit as a role model. France have one of the biggest collections of trophies and medals in women’s handball — and Nze Minko has been part of many of those achievements, since 2022 as captain of the side.

Nze Minko has stood atop the podium at every major competition, winning the World Championship in 2017 and 2023, the EHF EURO in 2018 and completing her national team collection with Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020. The left back won her first EHF Champions League title in 2024 and defended the trophy in 2025.

That most recent Champions League title led Nze Minko to be named left back of the season at the EHF Excellence Awards for 2024/25. She was also MVP of the EHF EURO 2020 and All-star left back of both the 2024 Olympic Games and 2023 World Championship.

Away from the court, Nze Minko has two notable ventures: One as founder of the V Box, a product that empowers and supports female entrepreneurs, and the other as a taboo-breaker, speaking openly about the menstrual cycle and managing that as an athlete. 

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Career path

  • 2009–2010: Toulouse
  • 2010–2012: Mios Biganos
  • 2012–2013: Handball Cercle Nîmes
  • 2013–2015: Nantes Handball
  • 2015–2016: Fleury Loiret HB
  • 2016–2019: Siófok KC
  • 2019–current: Györi Audi ETO KC

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LIST OF TEAM AWARDS

  • EHF EURO:
    • Gold: 2018
    • Silver: 2020
    • Bronze: 2016
  • IHF World Championship:
    • Gold: 2017, 2023
    • Silver: 2021
  • Olympic Games:
    • Gold: 2020
    • Silver: 2016, 2024
  • EHF Champions League:
    • Gold: 2024, 2025
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LIST OF INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

  • EHF Excellence Awards
    • 2024/25: Left back of the season
  • MVP
    • EHF EURO 2020
  • All-star Team
    • Olympic Games: 2024
    • World Championship: 2023

DIVE DEEP INTO ESTELLE'S WORLD

 

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Her Playground

Nze Minko’s letter to Les Bleues

FEATURE: For the first time in 11 years, Estelle Nze Minko is missing out on a major competition, but the reason can’t be more beautiful

8 months ago
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Inside the EHF

Empower to Inspire: Nze Minko breaking the period taboo

EMPOWER TO INSPIRE: Estelle Nze Minko is using her voice to speak out about how periods affect athletes' performances

3 years ago

< TAKE ME BACK TO HER PLAYGROUND

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