Netherlands women's national handball team

Netherlands
Information
NicknameOranje Dames
AssociationNederlands Handbal Verbond
CoachHenrik Signell
CaptainLois Abbingh
Most capsLaura Robben (320)
Most goalsOlga Assink (954)
Colours
1st
2nd
Results
Summer Olympics
Appearances3 (First in 2016)
Best result4th (2016)
World Championship
Appearances14 (First in 1971)
Best result 1st (2019)
European Championship
Appearances10 (First in 1998)
Best result 2nd (2016)
Last updated on 2025.
Netherlands women's national handball team
Medal record
World Championship
2019 Japan
2015 Denmark
2017 Germany
European Championship
2016 Sweden
2018 France

The Netherlands women's national handball team is the national handball team of the Netherlands. It is governed by the Nederlands Handbal Verbond (NHV).

The team won their first World Championship in 2019 in Japan after defeating Spain in the final.[1]

History

The Dutch women’s team would have been qualified as the host nation for the 2012 European Championship. However, the event had to be moved to Serbia at a late stage due to high costs and uncertain revenue for the Netherlands Handball Association. As a result, the Netherlands lost its host-nation berth and also received a heavy fine.[2][3][4]

Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2009 World Championship because it lost both qualification matches against Ukraine. Things went better at the 2011 World Championship, where the team reached the final round and ultimately finished fifteenth. A fourth place in the group stage secured a spot in the round of 16, but there the Netherlands came up against the eventual world champion, Norway. The same scenario unfolded at the 2013 World Championship. In the final round, the team once again finished fourth in the group stage and faced the eventual world champion – this time Brazil – in the round of 16.

2015-2020: Rise to Prominence

The breakthrough for the Dutch women’s team came at the 2015 World Championship in Denmark, where the Netherlands reached the final of a global tournament for the first time in history, finishing second after a 23–31 defeat to world champion Norway.[5] It would mar the start of the Dutch golden generation, includng players lie Tess Wester, Lois Abbingh, Estavana Polman, Kelly Dulfer and Nycke Groot.

In 2016, the team achieved its second major success by qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. At an Olympic qualification tournament in Metz, France, the Netherlands defeated Tunisia, Japan, and hosts France, earning an Olympic berth for the first time ever. They finished fourth at the Games after a disappointing 26–36 loss to Norway in the bronze-medal match. In the semifinals, the Netherlands had narrowly lost to France. Gold went to Russia, who defeated France 22–19.

A few months later, at the 2016 European Championship in Sweden, the team achieved its third major success within a single year. Once again, and for the first time in European Championship history, the Netherlands reached the final, where they once more had to bow to world and European champion Norway—this time by the smallest possible margin: 29–30.[6]

At the 2017 World Championship in Germany, the Dutch women’s team finished in third place after defeating Sweden 24–21 in the bronze-medal match.[7] At the 2018 European Championship in France, the Dutch team once again reached the podium, finishing third after beating Romania 24–20 in the bronze-medal match. In that game, the Netherlands were exceptionally strong in defense: Romania managed to convert only 33% of their attacks.[8]

At the 2019 World Championship in Japan, the Dutch women’s team achieved the greatest success in its history by becoming world champions. In a thrilling final, the Netherlands defeated Spain 30–29. The ending was dramatic: just over half a minute before the end, the Netherlands lost the ball, giving Spain the chance to run down the clock and look for a winning goal. Tess Wester saved the team with a brilliant stop, after which Hernández received a red card for obstructing Wester’s throw-out. With six seconds left, the Netherlands were awarded a penalty, which Lois Abbingh converted with nerves of steel.[9] In the semifinal, the Netherlands had already beaten Olympic champion Russia 33–32, with Laura van der Heijden scoring the decisive goal in a true thriller.

For the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, the Netherlands were automatically qualified as reigning world champions. Their second consecutive Olympics once again did not produce a medal. The team lost only narrowly to Norway (29–27) in the group stage and advanced to the quarterfinals as the second-placed team. There, they were overpowered 32–22 by the eventual champions, France. After reaching the World Championship podium three times in a row, the Netherlands were eliminated in the main round at the 2021 World Championship in Spain and finished ninth.[10]

At the 2025 World Championship at home they reached a semifinal for the first time since 2019 when they beat Hungary in the quarterfinal.[11]

Competitive record

Olympic Games

Year Position GP W D L GS GA GD
1976 Did not qualify
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016 4th 8 2 2 4 216 218 −2
2020 5th 6 4 0 2 191 175 +16
2024 5th 6 4 0 2 177 166 +11
Total 3/13 20 10 2 8 584 559 +25

World Championship

Year Position GP W D L GS GA GD
1957 Did not enter
1962
1965
1971 8th 4 1 0 3 31 46 −15
1973 12th 5 0 0 5 33 81 −48
1975 Did not qualify
1978 9th 5 1 0 4 87 97 −10
1982 Did not qualify
1986 10th 7 2 0 5 127 163 −36
1990 Did not qualify
1993
1995
1997
1999 10th 6 4 0 2 140 127 +13
2001 16th 6 1 1 4 138 144 −6
2003 Did not qualify
2005 5th 9 6 1 2 262 242 +20
2007 Did not qualify
2009
2011 15th 6 2 0 4 186 176 +10
2013 13th 6 2 0 4 170 150 +20
2015 2nd 9 7 1 1 298 217 +81
2017 3rd 9 6 1 2 252 214 +38
2019 1st 10 7 0 3 328 280 +48
2021 9th 6 4 1 1 270 145 +125
2023 5th 9 8 0 1 289 216 +83
2025 4th 9 7 0 2 285 219 +66
2027 TBD
2029
2031
Total 15/30 106 58 5 43 2906 2517 +389

Record against other teams at the world championship

European Championship

Year Position GP W D L GS GA GD
1994 Did not qualify
1996
1998 10th 6 1 0 5 126 153 −27
2000 Did not qualify
2002 14th 3 0 0 3 73 80 −7
2004 Did not qualify
2006 15th 3 0 0 3 65 84 −19
2008 Did not qualify
2010 8th 6 2 0 4 131 145 −14
2012 Withdrew
2014 7th 6 2 1 3 161 158 +3
2016 2nd 8 6 0 2 227 201 +26
2018 3rd 8 6 0 2 207 196 +11
2020 6th 7 3 0 4 193 196 −3
2022 6th 7 3 1 3 214 196 +18
2024 6th 8 5 0 3 241 215 +26
2026 TBD
2028
Total 10/18 54 23 2 29 1397 1409 –12

Record against other teams at the European Championship

Other tournaments

Team

Current squad

The squad for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship.[12]

Head coach: Henrik Signell

Caps and goals as of 14 December 2025.

No. Pos. Name Date of birth (age) Height App. Goals Club
4 RB Alieke van Maurik (2005-05-11) 11 May 2005 1.81 m 32 39 Borussia Dortmund
8 LB Lois Abbingh (c) (1992-08-13) 13 August 1992 1.78 m 241 930 Borussia Dortmund
9 CB Larissa Nüsser (2000-02-08) 8 February 2000 1.75 m 112 214 Gloria Bistrița
12 LW Bo van Wetering (1999-10-05) 5 October 1999 1.71 m 125 427 Győri ETO KC
14 LB Judith van der Helm (2005-01-13) 13 January 2005 1.82 m 46 42 Team Esbjerg
18 LB Kelly Dulfer (1994-03-21) 21 March 1994 1.85 m 213 352 Győri ETO KC
19 P Merel Freriks (1998-01-06) 6 January 1998 1.75 m 114 213 CSM București
22 LW Zoë Sprengers (2000-01-19) 19 January 2000 1.66 m 82 176 Nykøbing Falster Håndboldklub
24 P Romée Maarschalkerweerd (2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 1.78 m 35 71 HH Elite
26 RW Angela Malestein (1993-01-31) 31 January 1993 1.70 m 245 880 Ferencvárosi TC
30 GK Rinka Duijndam (1997-08-06) 6 August 1997 1.78 m 120 4 Chambray Touraine Handball
31 RW Kelly Vollebregt (1995-01-01) 1 January 1995 1.67 m 62 127 Borussia Dortmund
38 GK Yara ten Holte (1999-11-23) 23 November 1999 1.75 m 90 4 Odense Håndbold
44 P Nikita van der Vliet (2000-03-14) 14 March 2000 1.71 m 72 131 Odense Håndbold
48 RB Dione Housheer (1999-09-26) 26 September 1999 1.80 m 125 443 Győri ETO KC
79 CB Estavana Polman (1992-08-05) 5 August 1992 1.73 m 207 685 CS Rapid București

Coaching staff

Role Name Start date
Head coach Henrik Signell 2024
Assistant coach Ricardo Clarijs September 2021
Goalkeeping coach Jasmina Janković September 2022
Team Leader Maike Willems September 2019
Physiotherapist Rinke van den Brink September 2021

Notable players

MVP
Top Scorer
  • Lois Abbingh (left back) with 71 goals, 2019 World Championship
All-Star Team members
Coaches
  • Toon Wijdeveld (1956–1957)
  • Paul Broere (1960)
  • Jan Kloen (1961–1966, 1968)
  • Jaroslav Mráz (1968–1971)
  • Jo Gerris (1971–1973)
  • Jan Alma (1973–1974)
  • Heinz Henneberg (1974–1975)
  • George van Noesel (1975–1976)
  • Jan Alma (1976–1978)
  • Simon Flendrie (1979)
  • Ilona Venema-Ignácz (1979–1981)
  • Jan Kecskeméthy (1982–1986)
  • Jan Tuik (1986)
  • Ton van Linder (1987–1990)
  • Bert Bouwer (1990–2003)
  • Kari Aagaard (2003)
  • Olaf Schimpf (2003–2004)
  • Sjors Röttger (2004–2008)
  • Henk Groener (2009–2016)
  • Helle Thomsen (2016–2018)
  • Emmanuel Mayonnade (2019–2021)
  • Monique Tijsterman (2021)[14]
  • Ricardo Clarijs (2022)
  • Per Johansson (2022–2024)[15]
  • Henrik Signell (2024–)

Individual all-time records

  Still active players are highlighted

References

  1. ^ "Netherlands take first world title with last-second penalty". ihf.info. 15 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Europees kampioenschap handbal voor vrouwen 2012 in Nederland" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  3. ^ "EHF EURO 2012 official statement". eurohandball.com. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Serbia to host Women's EHF EURO 2012". eurohandball.com. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Grimsbø Shines as Norway Claim the Title". ihf.info. 20 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Heja Norge for the seventh time". swe2016.ehf-euro.com. 18 December 2016. Archived from the original on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  7. ^ Final ranking WC 2017 - ihf
  8. ^ Bronze match Match Report - livecache.sportresult.com
  9. ^ Kjær, Christian (15 December 2019). "VM-finalen afgjort af kontroversiel kendelse: - Det er ikke fair" [World Cup final decided by controversial call: "It is not fair."] (in Danish). TV2 Danmark. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Tournament Summary" (PDF). www.ihf.info. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Det er sindssygt, siger Housheer" (in Danish). TV2 Danmark.
  12. ^ Aalders, Angelique (11 November 2025). "Selectie TeamNL Handbaldames WK handbal bekend". Handbal.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  13. ^ https://www.ihf.info/competitions/women/307/27th-ihf-womens-world-championship-2025-ger-ned/220823/news/258583
  14. ^ "Monique Tijsterman no longer national handball women's coach | Sport". Netherlands News Live. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Zweed Johansson (53) nieuwe bondscoach Nederlandse handbalvrouwen". nos.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  16. ^ a b "TEAM ROSTER – NETHERLANDS" (PDF). International Handball Federation. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
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