Handball World Cup: Four MHB players called by Guillaume Gille for the preparation camp but none from Usam

La liste complète des joueurs participant au stage de préparation. Icon Sport – FFHB

The staff of the French handball team revealed this Wednesday, December 11, the identity of the 18 players called up to participate in the training camp for the 2025 World Cup (January 14 to February 2), among whom are four players from MHB but none from Usam.

In just over a month, the French handball team will begin its World Cup with a first match against Qatar, on January 14 in Porec, Croatia. Before that, as in every international competition, the Blues will meet at the Maison du handball in Créteil for a preparation camp just before the holidays.

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This Wednesday, December 11, Guillaume Gille and his staff revealed the identity of the 18 players who will participate, from December 21 to 24. The two MHB goalkeepers, Rémi Desbonnet and Charles Bolzinger, as well as right winger Yanis Lenne and defender Karl Konan are on this list.

Unlike Usam Nîmes players Jean-Jacques Acquevillo (left back), Guéric Vincent (left winger), Wesley Pardin (goalkeeper) and Montpellier player Yanis Lenne (pivot), not called up by the staff but present in the extended list of 35 who can be called up if necessary.

Bellahcene absent from training camp because of the Bundesliga

Injured for the moment, to varying degrees, Dika Mem, Hugo Descat and Yanis Lenne will also be present at the Maison du handball. “These players are on hold but we wanted to involve them in order to imagine what to do about their injuries and consider the next steps that should lead them back on the field”, Guillaume Gille specifies in the press release.

The complete list of players participating in the preparation camp. FFHB – FFHB

Considered one of the best players in the world, Barcelona's Dika Mem underwent surgery on his right shoulder on November 20 and was expected to be out for two to three months, the Catalan club announced. Hugo Descat has a knee injury, while Montpellier's Yanis Lenne is suffering from a back problem.

The former Saran, Dunkerque and Kiel goalkeeper, Samir Bellahcene, will not be present for this training camp, however. The FFHB explained that the Bundesliga calendar “will not allow” the Montpellier player to be present, he, the new Stuttgart goalkeeper.