Huge crowds have descended on Germany for the European championships as the explosive sport continues to expand
The hall is still reverberating to the beat of almost 20,000 fans’ celebrations while Philipp Weber, taking stock in an adjacent corridor, tries to take everything in. “It’s unbelievable, just amazing,” says the Germany left-back, beaming. “Every game is like a dream.”
Weber has just helped send the crowd, tense at the outset but ultimately able to revel in a clinical second-half performance, bouncing into the Cologne night. The 2024 European men’s handball championship hosts are a step closer to the semi-finals after beating Hungary, who were imposing but ultimately inferior, with a convincing 35-28 victory.