Metz Handball

Metz Handball
Full nameMetz Handball
Short nameMetz HB
Founded1965
ArenaLes Arènes
Capacity4,500 / 5,000
PresidentThierry Weizman
Head coachEmmanuel Mayonnade
LeagueLigue Butagaz Énergie
2024–25Champion
Club colours   
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Website
Official site

Metz Handball is a French handball club from Metz, France. Founded in 1965 under the name ASPTT Metz, the club has an exceptional track record with some 40 titles won, which is the all-time record for a French women's team sport. Chaired by Thierry Weizman since 2005, the club is becoming increasingly professional and now aims to play a leading role in Europe.

The men's team also played in 1st League between 1971 and 1983, and nowadays plays in Nationale 1 (3rd division) since 2020.

Metz
Location of Metz Handball

History

Over the past few decades, Metz Handball has become the most prestigious women's handball club in France. It is also one of the oldest institutions playing in the French elite.

The club was created in 1965 under the name of ASPTT Metz, but it wasn't until 1968, with the creation of the women's team, that the club became well-known in the sport.[1]

Second-place finishers in France and semi-finalists in the Cup of Cups in 1977, the men's team gave ASPTT Metz its first prestige on a major stage. But in the shadow of the men's team, the women's team progressed year after year until being promoted in 1986 to France's top tier, without being relegated since. The coach of the team at that time was Frenchman Olivier Krumbholz, who later became the successful national manager for France. Since the promotion, Metz HB has had overwhelming success with 24 National Championships from 1989 to 2022, which is the all-time record in the French Women's First League Championship.[2]

Metz Handball is progressively establishing itself as a strong place in European handball. A first epic saw the Dragonnes reach the semi-final of the Cup Winners Cup in 1999. They then became famous in the EHF Cup where, after several quarter finals, they played a first European final in 2013 but did not manage to win the title. The following seasons, the club gains momentum and shines in the Champions League. Unlucky quarter-finalists in 2017 and 2018, Metz participated for the first time in the Final 4 of Europe's most prestigious competition in 2019, where they finished fourth.[3]

After a season without any trophy in 2021, Metz Handball realizes the most beautiful season of its history. The club won a 24th French Championship title, a 10th French Cup, and became famous in the Ligue Butagaz Énergie with a flawless record: 26 victories in 26 games. For the second time in its history, the Dragonnes participated in the Final 4 of the Women's EHF Champions League and won their first European medal by finishing third.[4]

Name

  • 1967–2002: ASPTT Metz
  • 2002–2005: Handball Metz Métropole
  • 2005–2009: Handball Metz Moselle Lorraine
  • 2009–: Metz Handball

Results

National competitions
  • French Championship:
    • Winners (27): 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
    • Runners-up (7): 1991, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2015, 2021
  • French Cup:
    • Winners (13): 1990, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
    • Runners-up (7): 1987, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2018
  • French League Cup:
    • Winners (7): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
    • Runners-up (1): 2004
International competitions

European record

Record[5]
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2025–26 EHF Champions League Group stage
Group A 		Storhamar HE
Győri Audi ETO KC
Borussia Dortmund
Team Esbjerg
CS Gloria Bistrița
OTP Group Budućnost
DVSC Schaeffler

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2025-26 season
Information of players out on loan
No. Nat. Player Position Date of Birth Since Loan until Current club
2 Claire Koestner Centre Back 10 February 2006 1 July 2025 30 June 2027 Saint-Amand
11 Mia Brkic Line Player 11 May 2003 1 July 2024 30 June 2026 Podravka Koprivnica
97 Délia Golvet Centre Back 20 October 2005 27 November 2024 30 June 2026 Paris 92
Squad information
No. Nat. Player Position Date of Birth In Contract until Previous club
6 Chloé Valentini Left Wing 19 April 1995 2021 2027 ESBF Besançon
xx Suzanne Wajoka Left Wing 2 January 2001 2025 2026 ESBF Besançon
xx Lylou Borg Centre Back 31 May 2005 2025 2027 Mérignac Handball
9 Tyra Axnér Left Back 18 March 2002 2024 2027 Nykøbing Falster Håndboldklub
15 Anne-Emmanuelle Augustine Line Player 10 July 2001 2024 2026 OGC Nice Handball
20 Laura Flippes Right Back 13 December 1994 2024 2027 CSM București
23 Betchaïdelle Ngombele Left Back 23 March 2004 2025 2027 RK Krim
xx Laura Godard Left Wing 12 February 1996 2025 2026 TuS Metzingen
27 Sarah Bouktit Line Player 27 August 2002 2021 2027 Fleury Loiret HB
28 Lucie Granier Right Wing 11 June 1999 2023 2027 ESBF Besançon
29 Léna Grandveau Centre Back 21 January 2003 2024 2027 Neptunes de Nantes
xx Anna Albek Right Back 2 December 2001 2025 2027 Mosonmagyaróvári KC SE
38 Petra Vámos Centre Back 14 September 2000 2024 2027 Debreceni VSC
79 Sabrina Novotná Goalkeeper 2 July 2000 2025 2027 Házená Kynžvart
94 Catherine Gabriel Goalkeeper 4 September 1994 2025 2027 DVSC Schaeffler
98 Manon Errard Right Wing 9 February 2005 2024 2028

Transfers

Transfers for the 2025–26 season

Technical staff

Staff for the 2025–26 season
  • Head coach: Emmanuel Mayonnade
  • Assistant coach: Yekaterina Andryushina
  • Physical coach: Samuel Breton
  • Goalkeeping coach: None
  • Physiotherapist: Alexandre Pawlowski
  • Physiotherapist: Pierre Gillet
  • Physiotherapist: Charles Balanger
  • Doctor: Thierry Weizman
  • Video analyst: Edgar Le Denn

Academy

Training Center

As of the 2024–25 season[6]

Men's team

As of the 2024–25 season[7]

Statistics

Notable former players

Head coach history

Claude Guillois 1980–1985
Olivier Krumbholz 1985–1995
Joël Monasso 1995–1996
Patrick Passemard 2003
Bertrand François 1996–2003; 2004–2006; 2009–2010
Dragan Majstrorovic 2010
Sébastien Gardillou 2010–2012
Sandor Rac 2006–2009; 2012–2014
Jérémy Roussel[13] 2014–2015
Emmanuel Mayonnade 2015–

Stadium

  • Name: Les Arènes
  • City: Metz
  • Capacity: 4,500 / 5,000
  • Address: 5 avenue Louis-le-Débonnaire 57000
  • Played in the arena since: 2001-

Kit manufacturers

References

  1. ^ "History of Metz Handball". metz-handball.com (in French). June 2023.
  2. ^ "History of Metz Handball". metz-handball.com (in French). June 2023.
  3. ^ "History of Metz Handball". metz-handball.com (in French). June 2023.
  4. ^ "EHF Final4 Women 2022". European Handball Federation.
  5. ^ "European record - Metz Handball". EHF. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  6. ^ "NATIONALE 1 FEMININE 2024-25". Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  7. ^ "NATIONALE 1M". Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Metz Handball". European Handball Federation.
  9. ^ "All-Star team gets fresh look in 2019". eurohandball.com. 10 May 2019.
  10. ^ "New All-Star Team features three fresh names and returning Neagu". eurohandball.com. 5 June 2020.
  11. ^ "EHF Excellence Awards 2024: These are the season's best players". eurohandball.com. 27 June 2024.
  12. ^ "EHF Excellence Awards 2025: Women's Team of the Season revealed". eurohandball.com. 11 June 2025.
  13. ^ "New coach in Metz as Roussel has responded to call of Chartres". handball-world. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
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