Jim Gottfridsson led Sweden to European Championship gold last winter.
His talk to teammates when it mattered most has become iconic.
– Almost so that you become a bit popular, he says.
Sweden’s handball men have a couple of incomparable tournaments behind them. First a WC silver last winter, and later an EC gold earlier years. Sweden’s first championship gold since the “Bengan Boys” successful years around the turn of the millennium.
Powerful fire numbers
There are several players who have been absolutely decisive for the Swedish success. But the biggest one is spelled Jim Gottfridsson. The team captain was absolutely phenomenal during the EC playoffs, and really showed the way to the gold.
The 29-year-old from Ystad was voted the best player of the entire tournament, and his efforts were highly praised. When you look back at the championship, it is probably Jim Gottfridsson’s fiery speech that comes to mind first.
Tie and a few seconds remaining in the final against Spain. Then the camera caught Gottfridsson’s time out talk where he gave clear directives to his teammates and which then led to a win.
“Became a bit popular”
It has been a little over seven months since the mighty gold, and the team captain remembers well that moment before everything was decided.
– Many people remember it. That’s more or less what I talk about during each time out, but now it’s almost like you’ve become a little popular after that time out, he says to Dagens Nyheter.
The EC gold has received a lot of attention. Something that Jim Gottfridsson really noticed on the streets.
– People have started to understand it a little more. I haven’t been home much in Sweden lately but the other day I went to Emporia and people nodded and thanked me for the entertainment and children came up and wanted to take pictures. There has been a noticeable difference since the gold, I think that’s just fun.
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