According to L’Equipe, Nikola Karabatic, the French center-half, intends to continue his international career and made it known to Guillaume Gille, the coach of the Blues.
But where will Nikola Karabatic stop? Victim of a rupture of the cruciate ligament of the right knee last year, the center-half then missed the 2021 World Cup played in Egypt last January. Since, the latter came back in full possession of his means at the age of 37 and helped the France team to win a third gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The Nis, Serbia native has proven his love and loyalty to the blue jersey since his debut in 2002, when he was just 18 years old. Almost 20 years later, the PSG Handball player has won a total of no less than 15 medals with the selection, including 10 gold. A huge prize list for the one who will have known several golden generations and who now wants to continue in the France team. Indeed, despite the announcement of the international retirement of Luc Abalo, Michaël Guigou and Yann Genty, Karabatic does not intend to stop there and would have told Guillaume Gille, his former teammate now coach, that he would still be at his disposal., according to L’Equipe.
Become the only one in 11 titles with the Blues
The latter could therefore be present with the recent Olympic champions in early November, during two Golden League matches in Norway against Denmark and the host country. If all goes well and no injury forces him to give up, the center-half could then play in the next 2022 European Championship., which will take place in Hungary and Slovakia from January 14 to 30. If Gille’s players win in this competition, the number 13 of the Blues would become the only French handball player to win 11 titles with the Blues, with this possible 4th gold medal in a Euro. It would then be a unique and stratospheric performance in the history of team sports. For his club situation, it’s a little different. At the end of the contract next June, the player would like to extend for a year in the capital and could at the end of his career be reconverted into a managerial position, rather than that of coach.
