View source for Luc Abalo

{{Short description|French handball player (born 1984)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox handball biography
| name           = Luc Abalo
| image          = Luc Abalo PSG Handball.jpg
| caption        = Abalo in 2013
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1984|9|6|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Ivry-sur-Seine]], France
| nationality    = French
| height         = 1.82 m
| position       = Right wing
| currentclub    = 
| clubnumber     = 
| years1         = 1998–2008
| clubs1         = [[US Ivry Handball]]
| years2         = 2008–2011
| clubs2         = [[BM Ciudad Real]]
| years3         = 2011–2012
| clubs3         = [[BM Neptuno|Atlético Madrid]]
| years4         = 2012–2020
| clubs4         = [[Paris Saint-Germain Handball|Paris Saint-Germain]]
| years5         = 2020–2021
| clubs5         = [[Elverum Håndball]]
| years6         = 2021–2023
| clubs6         = [[Zeekstar Tokyo]]
| nationalyears1 = 2005–2021
| nationalteam1  = [[France men's national handball team|France]]
| nationalcaps1  = 289
| nationalgoals1 = 859
| show-medals    = no
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalOlympic}}
{{MedalGold|[[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]]|[[Handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Handball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Tokyo]]|[[Handball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Handball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Men's Handball Championship|World Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 World Men's Handball Championship|2009 Croatia]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2011 World Men's Handball Championship|2011 Sweden]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2017 World Men's Handball Championship|2017 France]]|}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2019 World Men's Handball Championship|2019 Germany/Denmark]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[European Men's Handball Championship|European Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2006 European Men's Handball Championship|2006 Switzerland]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 European Men's Handball Championship|2010 Austria]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 European Men's Handball Championship|2014 Denmark]]|}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2008 European Men's Handball Championship|2008 Norway]]|}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2018 European Men's Handball Championship|2018 Croatia]]|}}
}}

'''Luc Kangny Abalo''' (born 6 September 1984) is a French retired [[handball]] player.<ref>[http://www.eurohandball.com/player/515085 EHF profile]</ref> He was inducted into the [[European Handball Federation|EHF]] Hall of Fame in 2024.<ref name=hof>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en/new-legends-of-the-game-inducted-into-ehf-hall-of-fame/|title=New legends of the game inducted into EHF Hall of Fame|publisher=[[European Handball Federation]]|accessdate=28 January 2025}}</ref>

Being a member of the national team from 2005, he won gold medals at the 2008, 2012 and 2020 Olympics, 2009, 2011 and 2017 World and 2006, 2010 and 2014 European championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://handball.sportresult.com/HBEM14M/PDF/FRA-R.pdf |title=XI European Championship 2014. Team Roster, France |website=handball.sportresult.com |publisher=[[European Handball Federation|EHF]] |accessdate=12 January 2014 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235823/http://handball.sportresult.com/HBEM14M/PDF/FRA-R.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was named the French Division 1 Player of the Year in 2007, and the league's Best Right Wing in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2008 he received the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref name=nbc/><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ab/luc-abalo-1.html |title=Luc Abalo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417102955/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ab/luc-abalo-1.html |archive-date=2020-04-17}}</ref>

Abalo is an accomplished graphical artist. Upon a request from the [[French Olympic Committee]] he designed a [[wristband]] popularizing the Paris' bid for the [[2024 Summer Olympics]]. Approximately 1.5 million copies were sold in September 2015.<ref name=nbc>[http://results.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=abalo-luc-1129743/index.html Luc Abalo]. nbcolympics.com</ref><ref>Jean-François Fournel (2 September 2015) [http://www.la-croix.com/Sport/Le-handballeur-Luc-Abalo-a-cree-le-symbole-de-Paris-JO-2024-2015-09-02-1351435 Le handballeur Luc Abalo a créé le symbole de « Paris JO 2024 »]. la-croix.com</ref>

Abalo is an officer of the [[Ordre national du Mérite]]<ref name="ordremerite"> {{cite web|publisher=legiondhonneur.fr|accessdate=21 March 2013 |title=Cérémonie de remise de décorations aux médaillés Olympiques de Londres |url=http://www.elysee.fr/communiques-de-presse/article/ceremonie-de-remise-de-decorations-aux-medailles-olympiques-de-londres/|language=fr }}</ref> and of the French [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000044033349 |title=Décret du 8 septembre 2021 portant promotion et nomination dans l'ordre national de la Légion d'honneur |publisher=legifrance.gouv.fr |language=fr |accessdate=2022-02-02 }}</ref>

==Career==
[[File:FRA vs HUN (01) - 2010 European Men's Handball Championship.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Luc Abalo in 2010 during a game for the French national team]]
Abalo signed his first professional contract at his hometown club [[US Ivry Handball]] in 2005. In his first season the team finished fourth in the top French league and reached the Cup final. In the 2006-07 season he won the French league. He was selected for the French league all star team as the right wing in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He joined Spanish side [[BM Ciudad Real]] in 2008 after originally planning to join them in 2007.

Here he won the Spanish championship and [[EHF Champions League]] in 2009, and the Spanish championship in 2010. In 2010-2011 he had a less successful season, where the team only won the [[Copa del Rey de Balonmano|Copa del Rey]]. The following summer he was rumored to join [[THW Kiel]] in Germany, because Ciudad Real had economic issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archiv.thw-handball.de/thw/11062701.htm |publisher=[[THW Kiel]]|website=archiv.thw-handball.de|title=Sprungwunder zum THW?|date=27 June 2011|accessdate=29 April 2019|language=de}}</ref> Instead he stayed and transferred with the team to [[BM Neptuno|Atlético Madrid]].<ref>{{Web archive|url=http://www.sport1.de/de/handball/newspage_428205.html |wayback=20171110114649 |text=Ciudad Real jetzt Atletico Madrid }}</ref>

In 2012 he returned to France and joined [[Paris Saint-Germain Handball|Paris Saint-Germain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-1-20-39921.html |publisher=Handball-world |title=Endlich zurück in Frankreich: Abalo unterschreibt in Paris|language=de|trans-title=Finally back in France: Abalo signs with Paris}}</ref> Here he won the French league in 2013 and every season from 2015 to 2020, and the French cup in 2014, 2015 and 2018.

In 2020 he announced his retirement from handball after the [[2020 Olympics]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Handball/Actualites/Luc-abalo-psg-j-envisage-d-arreter-en-2020/1019691 |title=Luc Abalo (PSG) : « J'envisage d'arrêter en 2020 » |publisher=[[L'Équipe]] |date=17 May 2019 |accessdate=30 May 2020|language=fr}}.</ref> but reconsidered when the Olympics where postponed until 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/ile-de-france/psg-handball-je-reviens-sur-ma-decision-d-arreter-annonce-luc-abalo-17-03-2020-8281722.php |title=«Je reviens sur ma décision d’arrêter», annonce Luc Abalo |publisher=[[Le Parisien]] |date=13 April 2020 |accessdate=30 May 2020|language=fr}}.</ref> But since PSG had already found a replacement for him in [[Ferran Solé]], Abalo had to find a new club. Therefore he joined Norwegian team [[Elverum Håndball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-1-3-124738.html |publisher=handball-world.news|title=Transfer-Überraschung: Luc Abalo wechselt nach Norwegen|accessdate=28 May 2020|language=de|trans-title=Transfer surprise:Luc Abalo transfers to Norway}}</ref> Here he won the 2020 Norwegian cup and the 2021 Norwegian championship. After the [[2021 World Men's Handball Championship|2021 World Championship]] in Egypt he could not return to Norway due to [[Covid-19]] restrictions and only participated in the Champions League matches.

In September 2021 he joined Japanese side Zeekstar Tokyo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://re-how.net/all/1393101/ |publisher=re-how.net|title=Signed with Luc Abalo, the legend of France's handball team|accessdate=17 September 2021}}</ref> He retired in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-1-20-149533.html |publisher=handball-world.news|title=Dreifacher Olympiasieger Luc Abalo beendet Handball-Karriere|accessdate=14 February 2023|language=de|trans-title=Three times Olympic Champioin Luc Abalo retires}}</ref>

==National team==
Luc Abalo debuted for the senior French national team in 2005 against Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ihf.info/sites/default/files/competitions/f5a584e9-afc3-4b1a-8f71-a429f73fdbf9/pdf/Provisional/FRA.pdf?n=1625167882 |publisher=[[International Handball Federation]]|website=ihf.info|title=Olympic Games Tokyo 2020|accessdate=1 July 2021}}</ref>

He has won both [[World Men's Handball Championship|World Championship]], [[European Men's Handball Championship|European Championship]] and [[Handball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic tournament]]. Between 2010 and 2013 he held all three major international tournaments.

He retired from the national team in 2021 after the [[2020 Olympics]] (held in 2021).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/men/2021-22/news/en/elverum-with-the-drive-to-break-top-six-barrier/ |publisher=[[European Handball Federation]]|website=ehfcl.eurohandball.com|title=Elverum with the drive to break top-six barrier|accessdate=4 August 2021}}</ref>

==Titles==
===Club===
* [[LNH Division 1|French Championship]]: 
** 2007 with [[US Ivry HB]]
** 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 with [[Paris Saint-Germain Handball|Paris Saint-Germain]]
* French Cup: 2014, 2015, 2018 with [[Paris Saint-Germain Handball|Paris Saint-Germain]]

* [[Liga ASOBAL|Spanish Championship]]: 2009, 2010 med [[BM Ciudad Real]]
* [[Copa del Rey de Balonmano|Copa del Rey]]: 2011
* [[EHF Champions League]]: 2009 with [[BM Ciudad Real]]
* [[IHF Super Globe]]: 2010 with [[BM Ciudad Real]]

* [[REMA 1000-ligaen (men's handball)|Norwegian Champion]]: 2021 with [[Elverum Håndball]]
* Norwegian cup: 2020 with [[Elverum Håndball]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Sports links}}

{{Navboxes
| title       = France squads
| bg          = #0055A4
| fg          = #FFFFFF
| bordercolor = 
| list1  = 
{{France handball squad 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{France squad 2009 World Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2010 European Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2012 European Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France handball squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{France squad 2014 European Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2016 European Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France handball squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{France squad 2017 World Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2018 European Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2019 World Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2020 European Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France squad 2021 World Men's Handball Championship}}
{{France handball squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
}}
{{The EHF Handball Award winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abalo, Luc}}
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Ivry-sur-Seine]]
[[Category:French male handball players]]
[[Category:Handball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Handball players at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Handball players at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic handball players for France]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for France]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for France]]
[[Category:French sportspeople of Togolese descent]]
[[Category:BM Ciudad Real players]]
[[Category:Paris Saint-Germain Handball players]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in handball]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite]]
[[Category:European champions for France]]
[[Category:French expatriate handball players in Spain]]
[[Category:Liga ASOBAL players]]
[[Category:Handball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:21st-century French sportsmen]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Handball players from Paris]]
[[Category:Black French sportspeople]]
[[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Norway]]
[[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Japan]]
[[Category:Expatriate handball players in Japan]]
[[Category:Expatriate handball players in Norway]]