Lunde bows out with 14 saves as Reistad earns MVP and top-scorer honours in 23-20 Rotterdam triumph
Germany started strongly, grabbing an early 6-4 lead through Lisa Antl and Xenia Smits as Norway struggled with uncharacteristic attacking errors and a less aggressive defence than usual. The first half stayed tight at 11-11, with Lunde’s 39 per cent save rate keeping the Olympic and European champions in touch despite converting only 47 per cent of shots.
Norway ignited after the break, surging to a 15-12 edge powered by Henny Reistad’s five second-half goals, though Germany leveled at 17-17 with seven minutes left to ramp up the tension. A Norwegian timeout steadied them: Reistad’s 55th tournament goal clinched the top-scorer title, while right winger Malin Aune added two late strikes to push the gap to 22-19. Lunde’s 14th save sealed it, her 47.2 per cent efficiency earning All-Star honours in a 23-20 win before 9,000 fans at Ahoy Arena.
Historic achievements and retirements
Under new coach Ole Gustaf Gjekstad, Norway went undefeated for the first time at a World Championship, extending their dominance with 13 major golds for Lunde across her career since 2003. Reistad claimed her second straight MVP award, leading the All-Star Team alongside Lunde and right back Ingvild Bakkerud; Germany had three selections too, including left back Antl.
Co-hosts Germany celebrated silver, their first World final since 1993 and first medal since 2007 bronze, capping a strong run. France took bronze over the Netherlands in overtime (exact score unavailable but level at 26-26 after 60 minutes), while Netherlands stars Lois Abbingh and Estavana Polman retired after their 2019 gold-medal campaign, with Abbingh as that tournament’s top scorer. Non-European sides Brazil (sixth) and Angola (10th) were the only ones in the top 10.
What the title means
Norway’s fifth crown cements their status as women’s handball’s pre-eminent force, blending experience (Lunde’s farewell) with emerging stars like Reistad. Germany’s silver revives memories of their 1993 triumph, while France’s bronze keeps the 2023 champions competitive. The Rotterdam tournament showcased Europe’s depth, five nations in the All-Stars, with Brazil’s inclusion highlighting global growth beyond the continent.
