Montpellier Handball

Montpellier Handball, formerly named Montpellier Agglomération Handball, is a professional handball club from Montpellier, France. Montpellier is the only French club to ever have won the EHF Champions League.

History

The team was founded as Cosmos Montpellier in 1982. In 1992 they were promoted to the top division. From 1994 they were coached by Patrice Canayer who guided them to 4 French championships.

In 2003 they became the first French team to win the EHF Champions League, when they beat Spanish Portland San Antonio in the final 19-27 away and 31-19 at home.

In September 2012 18 people with connections to Montpellier, including 9 players, were accused of match fixing during a match against Cesson. The accusion was that they had lost a match on purpose, in which their relatives had put money on the result worth upwards of 89,000 euros. As a result several players left the club, including Luka and Nikola Karabatić (to Pays d'Aix UC HB), Erlend Mamelund (to Haslum HK) and Primož Prošt (to Frisch Auf Göppingen). Three years later Nikola Karabatić were found guilty and had to pay a fine of 10,000 euros.

After the 2023-24 season Patrice Canayer left the club after 30 years in charge. He was replaced by Érick Mathé, who had been the assistant for Canayer from 2015 to 2018.

Crest, colours, supporters

Naming history

Kits

Accomplishments

• LNH Division 1: (14)
• Champions: 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
• EHF Champions League: (2)
• Champions: 2002–03, 2017–18
• Coupe de France: (14)
• Champions: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2024–25
• Coupe de la Ligue: (10)
• Champions: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16
• Trophée des Champions: (3)
• Champions: 2010, 2011, 2018
• Championnat de France N1B
• First place: 1991–92
• Championnat de France Nationale 2
• First place: 1988–89, 1999–00 (rés.)
• Championnat de France Nationale 3
• First place: 1987–88
• Double

Winners (10): 1998–99, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12

• Triple Crown

Winners (1): 2002–03

European record

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2025–26 season

Goalkeepers

• 12 Charles Bolzinger
• 92 Rémi Desbonnet

Left Wingers

• 10 Lucas Pellas
• 90 Léo Plantin

Right Wingers

• 22 Benjamin Richert
• 34 David Balaguer

Line players

• 13 Rogério Moraes Ferreira
• 19 Arthur Lenne
• 27 Matéo Caille

Left Backs

• 11 Zvonimir Srna
• 26 Bryan Monte
• 93 Kylian Prat

Central Backs

• 4 Diego Simonet
• 5 Kyllian Villeminot
• 18 Agustín Casado

Right Backs

• 15 Jack Thurin
• 25 Lucas Guigon
• 28 Valentin Porte (c)

Transfers

Transfers for the 2026–27 season

Joining

• Drevy Paschal (LW) (from Saint-Raphaël VHB)
• Hugo Pimenta (RB) (from Chambéry SMBH)

Leaving

• Lucas Pellas (LW) (to GOG HÃ¥ndbold)

Transfer History

Former club members

Notable former players

• Joël Abati (2007–2009)
• William Accambray (2005–2014)
• Benjamin Afgour (2017–2020)
• Igor Anić (2003–2007)
• Grégory Anquetil (1989–2007)
• Arnaud Bingo (2016–2019)
• Sébastien Bosquet (2003–2005)
• Cédric Burdet (1995–2003, 2006–2009)
• (1996–2000)
• Patrick Cazal (1994–1999)
• Hugo Descat (2019–2023)
• Didier Dinart (1996–2003)
• Adrien Dipanda (2006–2011)
• (2004–2007)
• Ludovic Fabregas (2011–2018)
• Jérôme Fernandez (1999–2002)
• Vincent Gérard (2006–2008, 2015–2019)
• Andrej Golić (1992–2006)
• Mathieu Grébille (2008–2020)
• Michaël Guigou (1999–2019)
• Samuel Honrubia (2001–2012)
• (1994–1996)
• Franck Junillon (1987–2008)
• Luka Karabatic (2007–2012)
• Nikola Karabatić (2000–2005, 2009–2013)
• Daouda Karaboué (1993–2000, 2004–2010)
• Karl Konan (2022–2025)
• (2000–2007)
• Yanis Lenne (2019–2025)
• Pascal Mahé (1992–1996)
• Bruno Martini (2000–2003)
• (1995–1996)
• Philippe Médard (1987–1989)
• Thierry Omeyer (2000–2006, 2013–2014)
• Valentin Porte (2016–)
• (1990–2006)
• Melvyn Richardson (2017–2021)
• (2010–2014)
• (2013–2016)
• Stéphane Stoecklin (1988–1990)
• Marc Wiltberger (1993–1996)
• (2003–2006)
• Abdelkrim Bendjemil (1990–1992)
• Rabah Gherbi (1996–1999, 2001–2003)
• Lucas Moscariello (2021–2023)
• Diego Simonet (2013–)
• Marko Panić (2021–2024)
• Felipe Borges (2013–2016)
• (2004–2011)
• Jan Sobol (2007–2010)
• Venio Losert (2014–2015)
• Petar Metličić (2012–2013)
• Veron Načinović (2021–2025)
• Marin Å ego (2019–2022)
• (1996–2006)
• Ahmed Hesham (2023–2025)
• Mohamed Mamdouh (2017–2019)
• Cristian Malmagro (2012–2013)
• Balázs Laluska (2014–2015)
• UroÅ¡ Vilovski (2012–2013)
• Allahkaram Esteki (2015–2016)
• Ólafur Guðmundsson (2021–2022)
• Geir Sveinsson (1995–1997)
• Jonas Truchanovičius (2016–2021)
• Erlend Mamelund (2012–2013)
• Alexis Borges (2020–2021)
• Gilberto Duarte (2019–2022)
• Ion Mocanu (1994–1995)
• Sorin Toacsen (1996–2000, 2003–2004)
• Igor Chumak (1992–1996)
• Jure Dolenec (2013–2017)
• Matej Gaber (2013–2016)
• Dragan Gajić (2011–2016)
• Vid Kavtičnik (2009–2019)
• Borut MačkovÅ¡ek (2014–2015)
• Primož ProÅ¡t (2011–2012)
• StaÅ¡ Skube (2022–2025)
• Miha Žvižej (2016–2017)
• Mladen Bojinović (2002–2012)
• Mitar Markez (2010–2011)
• (2002–2004)
• (2008–2010)
• Nikola Portner (2016–2020)
• Richard Å tochl (2010–2012)
• Martin Frändesjö (2000–2001)
• Lucas Pellas (2020–)
• Fredric Pettersson (2018–2021)
• Karl Wallinius (2021–2022)
• Aymen Hammed (2009–2011)
• Wissem Hmam (2005–2014)
• Marouen Maggaiz (2006–2008)
• Heykel Megannem (2007–2009)
• Sobhi Sioud (2001–2007)
• Mohamed Soussi (2017–2020)
• Issam Tej (2006–2015)
• Aymen Toumi (2015–2018)

Former coaches

References

External links