Handball: the former player of Fenix Toulouse Valentin Porte new captain of the Blues
The 31-year-old player, Toulousain from 2008 to 2016, has more than 150 selections for the French team. He takes over from the captaincy to Michaël Guigou who retired from sports at the end of the last Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Valentin Porte has been appointed the new captain of the French handball team, reigning Olympic champion after the international retirement of his predecessor, Michaël Guigou at the end of the Tokyo Games, coach Guillaume Gille announced on Tuesday.
“It is a great joy and a great honor that the staff of the France team do me. I spoke with my partners and when I felt the confidence they had in me, I was comforted in decision, “delivered the 31-year-old international to the 151 selections at a press conference.
“He demonstrates a form of exemplary daily,” praised his coach Guillaume Gille. “It’s a choice of continuity. At the time Valentin (Porte) was already in support of + Mika + (Guigou)”, he recalled.
The Montpellier full-back and right-winger was already vice-captain in Japan. He will be supported in turn, this time by the Parisian Luka Karabatic.
“Luka is someone for whom I have a lot of affection, we were European champions together in 2014, we were both newbies,” said Porte.
The Olympic gold conquered in Japan was the only title missing in blue for Valentin Porte, who won a European title (2014) and two world crowns (2015 and 2017), since his first selection in 2013.