Claude Onesta

About Claude Onesta

A former professional player in Toulouse, where he notably finished as the third top scorer in the French championship in 1983, it is as a coach that Claude Onesta will achieve recognition.

He embarked on this career in 1987, initially coaching in the second division. From 1995 to 2001, he led the Spacers de Toulouse team. During this period, he was a finalist in the Coupe de France twice and won the 1998 edition. In 2001, his career took a significant turn when he became the coach and manager of the French National Team, succeeding Daniel Costantini.

Under his leadership, the French team won two bronze medals at the World Championships in 2003 and 2005. In 2006, he achieved a remarkable feat by winning the first European Championship title, in a competition known as one of the most competitive, as handball is a sport where all the major nations are European. This title was also notable for the manner in which it was won, as “les costauds” eliminated the Croatian Olympic champions in the semi-finals, before defeating the reigning world champion, Spain, in the final.

The 2008 edition did not reach the same heights, but the French team still secured the bronze medal by defeating Germany in the “small final.”

That same year, Claude Onesta led his team to new heights on another stage. Indeed, in Beijing, during the Olympic Games, for the first time in its history, the French team clinched the ultimate title. This 2008 Olympic title was followed by the World Championship title in 2009 and the European Championship title in 2010.

This succession of titles has placed Claude Onesta and the “experts” of the French team in the pantheon of world handball, first entering the exclusive circle of teams that have achieved the Olympic title-World title double, then becoming the only team to consecutively win all three titles.

The 2011 World Championships in Sweden was a record-breaking year for French handball. Already at the pinnacle on the international stage, France won the gold medal and thus retained its title. It became the third team to win two consecutive World Championships. It also became the only team to win four consecutive international titles and reached its eighth consecutive semi-final.

Claude Onesta currently holds one of the most impressive records as a handball coach of all time, having won titles in all international competitions: Olympic Games, World Championship, and European Championship. In total, Claude Onesta has led France to eight World Cup finals, winning all of them, including the most recent in February 2015 in Qatar. Recognized by his peers and the general public, Claude Onesta has been made a Knight of the Legion of Honor.