Metz Handball

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]

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

National competitions

• French Championship:
  • Winners (26): 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
  • Runners-up (7): 1991, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2015, 2021
• French Cup:
  • Winners (12): 1990, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Runners-up (7): 1987, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2018
• French League Cup [fr]:
  • Winners (7): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
  • Runners-up (1): 2004

International competitions

• EHF Cup (C3):
  • Silver: 2013
• EHF Cup Winners' Cup (C2):
  • Semi-finalist: 1999, 2004, 2010, 2011
• EHF Champions League (C1):
  • Bronze: 2022
  • Fourth place: 2019, 2024
  • Quarterfinalists: 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023

Squad for the 2024-25 season

Transfers for the 2024–25 season

Staff for the 2024–25 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

As of the 2023–24 season^[6]

As of the 2023–24 season^[7]

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

•   Kempa

•   Media related to Metz Handball at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website