Rohr: “We're going to make this our game”

Ending such a wait for a huge handball country like Germany is a significant milestone — and they did it in an emphatic and powerful way, overthrowing another traditional handball nation, Denmark. 

Germany’s semi-final win against Denmark came with a result of 37:31. The final result does not quite reflect the effort required on Germany’s part, as Denmark were within two goals with just five minutes to go. The side had to deliver on their job perfectly, and the way they did it showed they are truly deserving of their place in the final. 

“I think that, especially in the second half, we got to show our skills, especially in defence. We were very active and used the things that we have trained for the past few days,” says wing Chiara Rohr, who is Germany’s top scorer at the W19 EHF EURO 2025, with 47 goals. 

“We were well prepared for Denmark's offence and that's why we got to steal some balls. That was the key in the second half that made us able to win so high.”

Rohr led Germany with nine goals in the semi-final, including three in the last four minutes. It was she who turned the two-goal difference of 32:30 into a distance of three on a penalty shot, opened a four-goal gap with two minutes on the clock and then made a steal and netted a fast break that was the final goal of the game. Each time she ran back in defence, victory was more visibly in sight, and it was clear that Rohr was feeling the thrill of the moment as the clock ticked down. 

“I was just excited,” Rohr says when asked what was going through her mind in those last minutes. “I mean, this is the first time that we're going to play a final and we're all so excited. The only thoughts that are going through your mind is like, 'oh my gosh, we're going to be in the final game!' We can't wait to prepare for it and win against Spain hopefully. We're very excited.” 

As Rohr highlights, this is the first final for this generation, and it comes after a successful run through their previous Younger Age Category competitions. At the first, the W17 EHF EURO 2023, Germany placed third. At the 2024 Youth World Championship, where their opponents in the final, Spain, took the title, Germany finished fifth. That makes the W19 EHF EURO 2025 the Germany 2006–07 generation’s second semi-final appearance. 

Rohr says that feels “amazing. I'd say that we grew throughout the tournament, especially also together as a team. We were able to work on our skills, work together and grow together. 

“We have great trainers that support us with everything, and we support each other, and I think that's the key for our team that is going to help us win.” 

As an outsider looking in, it does seem clear that there is a great bond in this Germany team — that they are friends completing their job with focus and enjoying doing so together. Rohr feels that is definitely the case: 

“We're a great team. Everyone's happy for one another, and that's something that’s very special. I think that that is something that’s always very important in a team — that we support one another and are happy for any success that anyone has in our team. And I think that that's something that really makes us who we are.” 

When asked about the bigger history for German handball in terms of reaching this long-awaited W19 EHF EURO final, Rohr finds it an accomplishment that is difficult to summarise, but says she feels “amazing again! I think I don't really have any more words to say. We're just so happy. 

“I think I can speak for the team that we're just going to enjoy this moment together, and we're very proud of ourselves.” 

Should Germany take the title, their collection across all international competitions will be almost complete — alongside the W19 EHF EURO trophy, the only other they have not won yet is the Men’s Youth World Championship. 

The final of the W19 EHF EURO 2025 will be a rematch of one of the games that opened it, as Germany and Spain met in their first preliminary round match. Hinting at the possibility of a thrilling match to decide the title is the fact that the preliminary round game ended in a draw. 

“It's going to be in interesting game. We've already played against Spain at the beginning of the tournament, and it was a difficult game,” says Rohr. “Spain is a great team and we're going to have to prepare very well for it. But I think that we're going to make this our game by just playing fast, by being there, being in focus. We're looking forward to it.”  

Photos: Rukometni savez Crne Gore