A Dutch festival for Abbingh’s Champions League debut with Dortmund

It was a long way from her home club Groningen to seven different countries, from VfL Oldenburg (Germany) to Baia Mare (Romania), Issy Paris (France), Rostov (Russia), Odense (Denmark) and Vipers Kristiansand (Norway) then back to Germany and her current club Borussia Dortmund.

“When I moved abroad at the age of 18, I could not expect a journey like this. But our former goalkeeper Jokelyn Tienstra was something like a role model — she played in so many countries, spoke so many languages. But at that point, I did not know what was supposed to come. Never had I thought that I would be able to speak German, French, Danish and Norwegian at the age of 33 and would have spent such a long time in so many different clubs and countries,” says Abbingh.

In 2019, the left and centre back secured the biggest trophy in the history of Dutch handball, converting the all-decisive post-buzzer penalty in the World Championship final to beat Spain 30:29.

“Often, people ask me about this penalty, and of course I remember everything — the joy, but also the sadness, as we knew that we might never win a trophy like this in our whole life.”

Abbingh and the Netherlands won five medals in five consecutive years, at World and European Championships from 2015 to 2019. In 2015, when Abbingh & Co. won the national side’s first medal — silver at the World Championship in Denmark — Henk Groener was their coach. Groener is one of the reasons Abbingh now plays for Dortmund, as he has been Borussia’s coach since 2022.

The second reason was her famous sister-in-law: Tess Lieder (nee Wester) — the former Netherlands national team goalkeeper, who just finished her career at the end of the 2024/25 season.

“When Vipers seemed to be bankrupt for the first time in October 2024, I was already in touch with Dortmund, and I really had the dream to, once in my life, play again for the same club as Tess. Then, in January, when the Vipers story was over, I contacted Dortmund again and we managed to find a deal, for which I am more than happy,” says Abbingh.

It was a sort of homecoming, taking Abbingh closer to her family, who still live in Groningen, two hours by car away from Dortmund. “My two-year-old son sees his grandparents more often than before, so it was a win-win-situation in terms of sports and private life.”

One of Abbingh’s hopes and dreams was to play the EHF Champions League again, and it was fulfilled after half a year, as Borussia were granted a wild card for the 2025/26 season.

“I was so happy that we can face the best teams of the world every week. It is always my impetus to play those top matches and it really felt strange from February on to have only one match per week, when you are used to playing league on Wednesday and Champions League on the weekend. Now we will have this rhythm again,” says Abbingh.

With Baia Mare, Rostov, Odense and Vipers, she had already played the top-flight competition. Her greatest Champions League memories date to 2019: “Right in my first season at Rostov, we made it to the EHF FINAL4 in Budapest, beat Metz and faced Györ in the final, which we really unluckily lost,” Abbingh looks back on the 25:24 defeat, in which she was top scorer for her team with seven goals.

“When you become a professional, it is your dream to play a Champions League final — and I made it.”

Abbingh will lock horns with Györ again in her first Champions League match with Borussia Dortmund on Sunday 7 September.

“It is a nice coincidence and definitely a perfect start for the club and the fans. We have nothing to lose. We play without pressure against the record and defending champions. It will be a joy for all of us, especially for our younger players who never played Champions League before. We will simply enjoy this match.”

The match will see a duel of six Dutch players — Abbingh, Alieke van Mauriki and Kelly Vollebregt for Dortmund, and former Borussia player Kelly Dulfer, Bo van Wetering and Dione Housheer for Györ. Plus, two former coaches of the Netherlands lead the benches: Henk Groener (Dortmund) and Per Johansson (Györ).

After the end of Lieder’s career, only three remain on court of those who started their common journey in the youngest youth selection of the Netherlands 20 years ago. Two of them still play in the EHF Champions League: Abbingh and Angela Malestein, with FTC, while Estavana Polman is with European League participants Rapid Bucuresti. All three are still part of the national team and hope to win their first medal since becoming world champions in 2019 this December, when the Netherlands co-host the World Championship with Germany. 

Before the beginning of the event on 26 November, Abbingh hopes for a successful EHF Champions League start with Dortmund.

“We face three main contenders for the trophy already in the group phase: Györ, Esbjerg and Metz. All of them played the FINAL4 last season. Those duels will not be easy, but I am sure we can gain some points against the remaining teams. Our first goal is to reach the play-offs, then anything can happen.”

The rotation possibilities are greater since Dortmund signed two experienced back-court players: German Alina Grijseels, who is back at home after spending two years in Metz and Bucharest, and Norwegian Guro Nestaker from insolvent German champions HB Ludwigsburg.

“We have more balanced options now, which you need when you play so many matches in a season. In preparation, it already worked well with Alina on the centre back and me back to my roots in the left back, where I could shoot more often.”

Photos: Catalin Margarit / PinPhoto; Wolfgang Stummbillig; kolektiff images/Uros Hocevar/Jure Erzen