January 30, 2011, Malmö (SWE)
World Cup Final France – Denmark: 37-35 ap: The thriller
The room is red, a stone’s throw from Copenhagen over the Öresund bridge, and Mikkel Hansen, 23 years old, delivers a sumptuous duel to Nikola Karabatic: 10 goals each. Selection leader Claude Onesta will end up sending Luc Abalo in strict individual defense to slow down the man with the blindfold. The extension will be fatal to the Danes, the “Experts” snatch their fourth title in a row.
Hansen during the defeat of the Danes in 2011. (N.Luttiau / L’Equipe)
January 26, 2014, Herning (DAN)
Euro Final, Denmark – France: 32-41: L’assommoir
Hansen’s right arm is still magic (9/11 in shooting), but the France team is at the top of its game. The 14,000 Danish spectators attend, dumbfounded, the masterpiece of the Blues in the first period (16-23 at the break), with as a highlight a “kung-fu” offered by Michaël Guigou to the young Valentin Porte. Big favorites of the tournament, the Scandinavians must once again bow.
August 21, 2016, Rio de Janeiro (BRE)
Final of the Olympic Games, France – Denmark: 26-28: Disillusionment
The Blues, who dominated the Danes in the group stage (33-30), seem destined for a third Olympic gold medal in a row, a feat never achieved. But, used by their crazy semi-final against Germany (29-28), they ran out of fuel at the end of the first period and never caught up. Ruthless (8 goals), Hansen is finally crowned against his best enemies and will be elected MVP of the tournament.
January 25, 2019, Hamburg (GER)
World Cup semi-finals, Denmark – France: 38-30: The slap
Nikola Karabatic, who returned from major foot surgery during competition, is not really himself and France will never find their rhythm in this tournament. In the semi-finals, the Blues take a gigantic slap against euphoric Danes like their master to play: 12 goals and 8 decisive assists! Hansen and his comrades are racing towards the first world title in their history.
August 7, 2021, Tokyo (JAP)
Olympics final, France – Denmark: 25-23: Revenge
The French team, in reconstruction after the crash of Euro 2020 (exit in the 1st round), is revealed behind closed doors of these Covid Games. In the final, Hansen slams another 9 but experiences a big slump against the monstrous tricolor defense. A handful of seconds from time, Ludovic Fabregas stole the ball for the equalizer from the prodigy Mathias Gidsel. Five years after Rio, the Blues are getting their revenge.