Didier Dinar, a key figure from the generation that excelled in world handball and the former coach of France, a major name in the sport globally, has been appointed as the new coach of Montenegro’s national team!

“The most accomplished coach to lead Montenegro, both in handball and potentially in all team sports since the re-establishment of independence, steps into the role of the Lions, as the biography of the current French coach Ivri is remarkable, both as a player and a coach,” stated the announcement from the Handball Association.

Dinar becomes the tenth coach of the national team since the restoration of independence, taking over after Croatian expert Vlado Šola resigned in May following elimination by Italy in the World Cup play-offs, set to occur in January of the coming year.

The debut match for Dinar will be against Finland on November 6 in Podgorica, launching the qualification for the 2026 European Championship.

“It is challenging to encapsulate the caliber of the individual stepping into the role of coach for the first Montenegrin national team, which has earned a place in a major competition following the restoration of independence. Known as ‘The Rock’, he is regarded as one of the world’s finest defensive players of all time and part of a remarkably successful generation in handball history, having earned gold at all three major tournaments,” conveyed the Association.

The RSCG reminded that throughout his playing and coaching career, Dinar has secured an impressive ten gold medals at prominent competitions!

He won Olympic gold with France twice (2008, 2012), was thrice crowned world champion (2001, 2009, 2011), and ascended to the top in Europe on two occasions (2006, 2010). Additionally, he boasts two bronze medals from world championships (2003, 2005) and another from the EHF Euro 2008.

On the club level, he has claimed four EHF Champions League titles and has an astonishing 11 national championship titles—six in France and five in Spain.

Following his playing career, he served as an assistant coach from 2013 to 2016, achieving gold at the EHF Euro 2014 and the World Championship the next year, before taking on the role of coach for France from 2016 to 2020.

As a coach, he has gathered three medals from significant competitions—in 2017, he led the team to a world championship victory with a squad featuring players like Omeje, Karabatić, Remili, Narcis, Abalo, Soraindo, Gigu, Mae, and Port.

He also earned two bronze medals at the European Championships (2018, 2019) and has been named Coach of the Year twice by the World Handball Federation (2016, 2018).

“The results clearly speak for themselves! A new chapter for Montenegrin men’s handball is starting, the ‘lions’ have secured one of the biggest names in world handball as their coach, and the public and fans can eagerly anticipate November 6 and the match against Finland in Podgorica, marking the beginning of the qualifiers for EHF Euro 2026,” announced the RSCG.

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