Lauge: “I will never get used to playing finals and winning titles”

For Lauge, the adventure started in 2011 at the World Championship in Sweden, at which Denmark took silver after losing the final against France in overtime. While he did not play much in his first international competition, Lauge learnt from prestigious predecessors, such as Lasse Boesen and Bo Spellerberg.

One year later, he earnt a much bigger role in the team, at the EHF EURO 2012. Denmark may have struggled at the start of that competition, but they were incredible from the main round on, before beating Spain in the semi-final, 25:24, and hosts Serbia in the final, 21:19.

“The atmosphere at that game was one of the toughest I have ever played in, and I mean that in a good way. You know how Balkans fans are rooting for their team — the arena in Belgrade was absolutely packed with people supporting their national team,” Lauge remembers. He scored two goals in the final. 

“It was a tough game. Not many goals and I felt like scoring a goal was a huge achievement every time. But the thing I remember the most was really the atmosphere in there. It was just so loud.”

In 2012, Denmark won their second EHF EURO title, after the first in 2008. For Lauge, 2012 was his first gold medal in any competition. “Of course, it has a special place in my heart, because that was the first one. Titles for Denmark were not that common back then, so winning a gold medal was a huge thing.” 

14 years down the line, Lauge has won four more international titles with Denmark, but it seems his hunger is not yet staved. On the court on Friday against Iceland, the Bjerringbro-Silkeborg back scored one goal and helped his team in so many other ways. 

“I think I will never get used to playing finals and winning titles. When you are in one of the greatest teams in the world, the next title is always the most important,” he says. “Of course, every title must be celebrated and we have to be proud of what we did, but we are not staved yet. And I doubt these guys will ever be.”

If Denmark and Lauge want to celebrate the EHF EURO trophy, first, they will have to beat Germany in the final on Sunday. The two teams met earlier in the tournament, in the main round, with Denmark winning that game 31:26 — but the final on Sunday might be a completely different story.  

“To be honest, we have not looked at that game yet. I don’t think any team will change completely the way they play. We might work on two or three small details, we might make small adjustments, but in the end, there will not be much new on the tactics side of things,” says Lauge. But if tactics do not decide the game, then what will? 

“These finals are about squeezing yourself to the maximum and getting that last drop of energy in order to win the game.”

And while Lauge was impressed with the atmosphere in Belgrade 14 years ago, he has also been hugely appreciative of the feeling in Jyske Bank Boxen since the beginning of the EHF EURO 2026. 

“The fans have been pushing us since the first game. Sometimes they really made the difference. When the arena erupts because you have just scored a goal, that is a crazy feeling — another one that I will never get used to.”

Photos © kolektiff images/Jure Erzen/Eva Manhart/Jozo Cabraja/Anze Malovrh