Thierry Omeyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thierry Omeyer |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 November 1976 Mulhouse, France |
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| Nationality | French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1985–1994
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Cernay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior clubs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1994–2000
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Sélestat HB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2000–2006
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Montpellier Handball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2006–2013
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THW Kiel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2013–2014
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Montpellier Handball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2014–2019
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PSG Handball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1999–2017
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France | 356 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Thierry Omeyer (born on November 2, 1976) is a famous French handball goalkeeper who has now retired from playing. He is known for being one of the best handball goalkeepers ever.
Thierry was part of the French national team starting in 1999. With his team, he won many big titles. These include being a world champion five times, a European champion three times, and an Olympic champion twice.
In 2008, he was even named the best player in the world by the International Handball Federation. This is a huge honor for a goalkeeper! When he played for the German club THW Kiel, his fans called him Die Mauer, which means "The Wall" in German. This nickname shows how hard it was for opponents to score against him.
In 2023, Thierry Omeyer was honored by being included in the European Handball Federation Hall of Fame. This means his amazing career and achievements are officially recognized as legendary.
Contents
Thierry Omeyer's Club Career
Thierry Omeyer started playing handball when he was 9 years old in a town called Cernay in France. He loved the sport and worked hard to become a professional player.
Early Professional Years
In 1994, Thierry joined his first professional club, Sélestat. He quickly showed how talented he was. He was so good at saving shots that he caught the eye of Montpellier, which was the top club in the French championship at the time.
Success with Montpellier
Thierry soon became the main goalkeeper for Montpellier. He helped them win many important games and titles.
- He won five French championships in a row, from 2002 to 2006.
- He also won five national cups with the team.
- The biggest win with Montpellier was the EHF Champions League in 2003. This was a huge deal because no French club had ever won this title before!
Playing in Germany with THW Kiel
In 2006, Thierry decided to try playing in a tougher league. He moved to Germany and joined the club THW Kiel. Here, he continued his winning streak:
- He won both the German championship (Bundesliga) and the national cup in 2007 and 2008.
- He also helped THW Kiel win the Champions League three times: in 2007, 2010, and 2012.
Final Years with Paris Saint-Germain
On April 15, 2014, it was announced that Thierry Omeyer would join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for the next season. He played for PSG until he retired.
His very last professional match was on June 6, 2019. PSG, who had already won the league title, played against Cesson-Rennes. PSG won the game 29-20.
Thierry Omeyer's International Career
Thierry Omeyer also had an amazing career playing for the French national team. He made his first appearance for France on September 19, 1999, in a game against Romania.
Becoming a World Champion
In 2001, Thierry helped France become World champions. They won a very exciting final match against Sweden, with a score of 28-25 after two extra periods.
Olympic Gold Medalist
In 2008, Thierry became an Olympic champion at the Beijing Games. He had an incredible tournament and was chosen as the best goalkeeper. He saved 41% of the shots he faced throughout the competition. In the final game, he made 19 saves out of 39 shots, helping France beat Iceland 28-23 to win the gold medal.
More World Championship Wins
Thierry continued to be a key player for France. In 2015, he helped his team win the World Men's Handball Championship again. They defeated Qatar 25-22 in the final. In this tournament, Thierry was not only voted the best goalkeeper but also the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the entire competition.
Individual Awards and Honors
Thierry Omeyer received many awards for his outstanding performance as a handball goalkeeper.
- Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the World Championship: 2015
- All-Star Goalkeeper of the World Championship: 2011, 2015
- All-Star Goalkeeper of the European Championship: 2006
- IHF World Player of the Year: 2008
- EHF Hall of Fame: 2023
See also
In Spanish: Thierry Omeyer para niños
