Having all this good handball stuff late in his career makes it all the more enjoyable.
„When I first came to the stadium in Düsseldorf, then in the arena in Berlin, I was like a kid in a sweet shop. It was one thing to play my first match in Germany against France,” he added.
But being a spectator of a match is one thing, actually playing a role is different. He's been key for France since he took the court against Switzerland, stopping 45 percent of his shots in his first game at the EHF EURO.
„I don't try to think too much about things. The Champions League, the Euros, I look back on all that later. I just focus on how the coaches want me to help the team,” he explains.
Participating in such a high-profile tournament would already be something that many players would be proud of, and Samir Bellaseen doesn't want to stop now that France is in the main round. In Germany, his best friend moved to Berlin, so he gets a lot of support.
“My wife also came to Cologne and we will qualify for the final weekend so my parents can come back. That will be a great reward for them,” says Bellacene, whose father was a professional boxer. „They are absolute handball fans and have been watching every game with France at the Euros.”
Even better, of course, would be a medal, „so I can come back to Kiel on the 30th with something around my neck,” he smiles.
But so far, she wants to enjoy every minute of her competition and concludes: “To do it all has always been a dream and a life goal and now that I've achieved it I don't want it to go away. I work twice as hard to keep it from going away.
Photos © Kolektiff Images
„Całkowity introwertyk. Nieprzejednany specjalista od sieci. Przyjazny fanatyk bekonu. Student ekstremalnych. Miłośnik piwa. Organizator.”