The 2026 EHF European Men's Handball Championship final was billed as a battle between two of the sport's most decorated goalkeepers, and for the first 30 minutes it delivered exactly that. By the end, Denmark's Niklas Landin had tipped the duel with Germany's Andreas Wolff in his favour just enough to decide the trophy.
"This is interesting to see which one of the goalkeepers will have the best," the broadcast commentators said at the opening of the match.
Wolff had entered the final as the tournament's most prolific goalkeeper, finishing with 77 saves overall. In the opening 20 minutes, both keepers traded breathtaking stops.
"Two a piece in that goalkeeper battle," the broadcasters noted as the score ticked past 6-6.
The first Danish breakthrough came from a counter-attack: "Break through, and a quick response, and that is Mathias special," the commentators said, attributing the goal to the in-form Mathias Gidsel.
As the first half progressed, it was Wolff who began to get the upper hand. "Kevin — save, save, save," the commentators exclaimed during a passage where Germany's keeper stopped four Danish attacks in a row. "Good save by Wolff. Oh, lovely ball back across to him. The save Roman."
But a turning point arrived near half-time. After Germany's David Spiller was sent off for a high tackle, Denmark opened up the backcourt and Landin began to find his rhythm. "Kevin Muller into the final minutes of this first half. Oh, save, Andreas. Whenever you need him the most, he steps up with those amazing saves," the broadcasters said of Wolff.
The second half became a Landin show. "Now this was the hand. Can you believe it? The gap is so close," the commentators said as the Dane blocked a seemingly certain penalty-area strike from Germany's Juri Knorr.
A sliding one-on-one save from Landin proved to be the final's defining stop. "A slide tackle save from Landin. Adrian's good movement there, and penalty one. The timing on the pass was good," the commentators said. "Denmark scrambling to get back, but giving away the penalty. Axel Jackson inside that seven-metre area. Well, it's so intense."
Landin finished the match with 18 saves, including four crucial stops in the final 10 minutes when Germany were within striking distance. Wolff finished with 13 saves.
"Denmark, after 14 years of waiting, get to raise this trophy once again," the broadcasters said as the Danish keeper lifted the trophy. Landin will now turn his attention to his club campaign with THW Kiel, with the German Bundesliga run-in entering its decisive phase.