{{short description|Danish handball player and coach (born 1970)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox handball biography | name = Helle Thomsen | image = | nationality = Danish | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|11|30|df=y}} | birth_place = Frederikshavn, Denmark | height = | position = Centre back | currentclub = Denmark (head coach)
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Frederikshavn KFUM | years1 = | clubs1 = Frederikshavn fI | years2 = 1988-1991 | clubs2 = Lyngså BK | years3 = 1991-1992 | clubs3 = Skogn IL | years4 = 1992-1993 | clubs4 = Drammen HK | years5 = 1993-1997 | clubs5 = Frederikshavn fI | years6 = 2001-2004 | clubs6 = Sindal IF | manageryears1 = 2009-1/2011 | managerclubs1 = TTH Holstebro (assistant) | manageryears2 = 1/2011-2012 | managerclubs2 = FC Midtjylland (assistant) | manageryears3 = 2012–2016 | managerclubs3 = FC Midtjylland | manageryears4 = 2014–2015 | managerclubs4 = Sweden | manageryears5 = 2016–2019 | managerclubs5 = Netherlands | manageryears6 = 2017–2018 | managerclubs6 = CSM București | manageryears7 = 2018–2020 | managerclubs7 = Molde Elite | manageryears8 = 2020–2021 | managerclubs8 = Kastamonu Bld. GSK | manageryears9 = 2021–2022 | managerclubs9 = Neptunes de Nantes (assistant) | manageryears10 = 2022–2024 | managerclubs10 = Neptunes de Nantes | manageryears11 = 2024–2025 | managerclubs11 = CSM București | manageryears12 = 2025– | managerclubs12 = Denmark | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Coach for women's handball}} {{MedalCountry|{{SWE}}}} {{MedalCompetition|European Championship}} {{MedalBronze|2014 Hungary/Croatia|}} {{MedalCountry|{{NED}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championship}} {{MedalBronze|2017 Germany|}} {{MedalCompetition|European Championship}} {{MedalSilver|2016 Sweden|}} {{MedalBronze|2018 France|}} }} '''Helle Thomsen''' (born 30 November 1970) is a Danish handball coach and former player, who is the current head coach of Denmark women's team.<ref>[http://www.eurohandball.com/player/504818 EHF profile]</ref><ref name=NTcoach>{{cite news|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/live/haandbold/2025-04-09-danmark-faar-ny-landstraener|publisher=TV2 Danmark|website=sport.tv2.dk|title=Danmark får ny landstræner|author=Nicolai Dvinge|date=9 April 2025|access-date=9 April 2025|language=da}}</ref>
==Playing career== Helle Thomsen started playing handball at Fredrikshavn KFUM at the age of 6. Later she played youth handball at Frederikshavn fI. From 1988 he played for Lyngså BK, who played in the top division at the time. Here she bronze medals in the Danish handball championship in the 1989-90 season.
Later she joined Skogn IL, followed Drammen HK in Norway. In 1993 she returned to her hometown Frederikshavn and joined Frederikshavn fI. Here she won silver medals in the 1996-97 season.
From 2001 to 2004 she acted as the player-coach of the Danish amateur club Sindal IF.<ref name=fosterparent /><ref>[https://dhdb.hyldgaard-jensen.dk/spiller.php?id=3909 DhDB profile]</ref>
==Coaching career== Between 2009 and 2012, she served as assistant coach to Niels Agesen in TTH Holstebro. Here he was part of the team that won promotion from the 1st Division in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dagbladet-holstebro-struer.dk/sport/danmarks-nye-landstraener-var-for-15-aar-siden-med-til-at-foere-tth-op-i-kvindeligaen|publisher=Dagbladet Holstebro-Struer|title=Danmarks nye landstræner var for 16 år siden med til at føre TTH op i kvindeligaen|date=10 April 2025|access-date=2 June 2025|language=da}}</ref> In 2010 she was offered the head coach position at her hometown club FOX Team Nord, after they had been administratively relegated to the third tier after going bankrupt. She rejected the offer to stay at TTH.<ref name=kanalfrederikshavn>{{cite web|url=https://www.kanalfrederikshavn.dk/vis/nyhed/derfor-blev-helle-thomsen-aldrig-cheftraener-i-ffi|publisher=KanalFrederikshavn|title=Derfor blev Helle Thomsen aldrig cheftræner i FfI|access-date=2 July 2025|date=28 December 2017|language=da}}</ref> 6 months later she became the assistant coach at FC Midtjylland Håndbold under Kenneth Jensen and Ryan Zinglersen.<ref name=kanalfrederikshavn />
===FC Midtjylland/Sweden=== She then was head coach for FC Midtjylland Håndbold between 2012 and 2016, and the Swedish national team between 2014 and 2015 alongside Thomas Sivertsson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svenskhandboll.se/Landslag/Landslagsnyheter/HelleThomsenslutarsomsvenskforbundskapten/ |title=Helle Thomsen slutar som svensk förbundskapten |language=Swedish|last=Vandor |first=Daniel |work=Svenska Handbollförbundet |authorlink=Swedish Handball Federation |date=29 July 2015 |accessdate=27 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fcm-haandbold.dk/nyheder/klubben/fcm-haandbold-og-helle-thomsen-stopper-samarbejdet |title=FCM Håndbold og Helle Thomsen stopper samarbejdet |last=Dons |first=Martin |authorlink=FC Midtjylland Håndbold |work=www.fcm-haandbold.dk |date=29 August 2016|accessdate=3 September 2016 |language=Danish}}</ref> As head coach, she won the Danish championship twice, the Danish Handball Cup thrice and the EHF Cup Winners' Cup once.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svenskhandboll.se/Landslag/Landslagsnyheter/DamerANyaForbundskaptensteametklart/ |title=Damer A: Nya Förbundskaptensteamet klart |language=Swedish|work=Svenska Handbollförbundet |authorlink=Swedish Handball Federation|date=22 April 2014 |accessdate=21 June 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dagbladet-holstebro-struer.dk/sport/blaa-bog-helle-thomsen-har-vaeret-vidt-omkring|publisher=Dagbladet Holstebro-Struer|title=BLÅ BOG: Helle Thomsen har været vidt omkring|work=Ritzau|language=da|access-date=2 July 2025}}</ref> In addition to that, she led FC Midtjylland to the Final Four tournament in the 2013–2014 Champions League season. She was fired in Midtjylland in 2016 due to 'disagreements over the future strategy'.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2016-08-30-flere-aars-magtkamp-i-kulissen-derfor-blev-fcms-succestraener-fyret|publisher=TV2 Danmark|website=sport.tv2.dk|title=Flere års magtkamp i kulissen: Derfor blev FCM's succestræner fyret|date=30 August 2016|access-date=2 July 2025|language=da}}</ref>
With Sweden she won bronze medals at the 2014 European Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://huncro2014.ehf-euro.com/news/single-news/news/gullden-leads-sweden-to-their-first-womens-ehf-euro-bronze-medal|title=Gullden leads Sweden to first EHF EURO bronze|date=21 December 2014|work=huncro2014.ehf-euro.com|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222120329/http://huncro2014.ehf-euro.com/news/single-news/news/gullden-leads-sweden-to-their-first-womens-ehf-euro-bronze-medal/|archive-date=22 December 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
===Netherlands and Bucharest=== In 2016 she became the head coach of the Netherlands women's team. Her first major international tournament was the 2016 European Championship, where she won silver medals, losing to Norway in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://swe2016.ehf-euro.com/news/single-news/detail/News/heja-norge-for-the-seventh-time/|title=Heja Norge for the seventh time|date=18 December 2016|work=swe2016.ehf-euro.com|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-date=18 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218193622/http://swe2016.ehf-euro.com/news/single-news/detail/News/heja-norge-for-the-seventh-time/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A year later she won bronze medals at the 2017 World Championship. Her last tournament with the Netherlands was the 2018 European Championship, where she once again won bronze medals.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181216165217/https://livecache.sportresult.com/node/binaryData/HBL_PROD/HBEC18W/PDF_P46.PDF Bronze match match report - EHF]</ref>
While coaching the Netherlands she also became the head coach at Romanian CSM București. She was however fired within her first season for poor results.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/haandbold/thomsen-fik-kniven-i-bukarest-jeg-har-laert-leve-med-presset|publisher=Danmarks Radio|title=Thomsen fik kniven i Bukarest: ’Jeg har lært at leve med presset’|date=17 March 2018|access-date=2 July 2025|language=da}}</ref>
===Return to club handball=== In 2018 she became the head coach of norwegian club Molde Elite on a two year deal.<ref name=MOLDE>{{cite news|url=https://hbold.dk/2020/01/19/fra-verdensstjerner-og-medaljer-til-molde-og-alene-af-sted-paa-udebaneture-helle-thomsen-har-nydt-aarene-i-molde|publisher=hbold.dk|title=Fra verdensstjerner og medaljer til Molde og alene af sted på udebaneture: Helle Thomsen har nydt årene i Molde|author=Nikolaj Hennecke Jensen|date=19 January 2020|access-date=2 July 2025|language=da}}</ref> When her contract expired in 2020, she left the club.<ref name=MOLDE />
In 2020 she became the head coach of Turkish club Kastamonu Bld. GSK, but just a year later she left the club, due to a clause in her contract, that allowed her to leave a year later.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Palmqvist|first=Fredrik|date=2021-03-10|title=Helle Thomsen och turkiska Kastamonu bryter kontraktet|url=https://handbollskanalen.se/ovriga-europa/helle-thomsen-och-turkiska-kastamonu-bryter-kontraktet/|access-date=2021-04-30|website=Handbollskanalen|language=sv-SE}}</ref> Instead she became the assistant coach and later head coach of French club Neptunes de Nantes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/sport/nordjyde-forfremmes-helle-thomsen-faar-roret-i-fransk-klub/5c98bd84-5f14-4e1b-9ebe-7e43d829204d|publisher=Nordjyske|title=Nordjyde forfremmes. Helle Thomsen får roret i fransk klub|author=Ole Fink Mejlgaard|date=23 February 2022|access-date=2 July 2025|language=da}}</ref><ref name=nantes>{{cite news|url=https://gohandball.com/womens-european-league/confirmed-thomsen-leaves-nantes-after-the-season|publisher=GOHandball|title=Confirmed: Thomsen leaves Nantes after the season|author=Jacob Nalerius|date=30 November 2023|access-date=2 July 2025}}</ref> She left the club in 2024, after being released of her contract.<ref name=nantes /> It was during a turbulent time at the club, where due to economy many players and personal was leaving the club.<ref name=Bucharest2ndTime /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.letelegramme.fr/sports/handball/les-neptunes-de-nantes-deposent-le-bilan-6636146.php |publisher=Le Telegramme|title=LFH : les Neptunes de Nantes déposent le bilan|access-date=15 August 2024|language=fr}}</ref>
In 2024 she returned to CSM București to become the head coach again.<ref name=Bucharest2ndTime>{{cite web|url=https://www.tv2nord.dk/frederikshavn/fyret-nu-vender-dansk-toptraener-tilbage-til-storklub|title=Fyret! Nu vender dansk toptræner tilbage til storklub|date=15 July 2024|access-date=18 September 2024|website=TV2 Nord}}</ref> Thomsen said regarding the offer, that she initially wanted to return to Denmark, but was drawn by the allure of playing in the Champions League.<ref name=Bucharest2ndTime />
===Denmark=== On April 9th, 2025 it was announced that she will take over as the head coach of the Denmark women's team in the summer of 2025, replacing Jesper Jensen.<ref name=NTcoach /> This makes her the only second woman to coach the Danish national team after Else Birkmose, who was the coach from 1963 to 1965.<ref name=NTcoach /> This meant she left her coaching position at CSM București on mutual termination one year before her contract expired.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2025-07-01-helle-thomsen-bliver-fuldtidslandstraener|publisher=TV2 Danmark|website=sport.tv2.dk|title=Helle Thomsen bliver fuldtidslandstræner|date=1 July 2025|access-date=2 July 2025|language=da}}</ref> She signed a contract with the Danish national team until 2028.<ref name=fosterparent>{{cite web|url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/haandbold/kvindelandsholdet/skal-du-have-passet-din-hund-testet-dine-sko-eller-vinde|publisher=Danmarks Radio|title=Skal du have passet din hund, testet dine sko eller vinde guldmedaljer? Ring til Helle|date=10 April 2025|access-date=2 July 2025|author=Michael Sten Jensen|language=da}}</ref>
On September 20th, 2025 she had her debut match; a 39-23 win in a friendly against Iceland.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/live/haandbold/2025-09-20-danmark-knuser-island-i-thomsens-debut|publisher=TV2 Danmark|website=sport.tv2.dk|date=20 September 2025|access-date=20 September 2025|language=da|title=Danmark knuser Island i Thomsens debut}}</ref> At her first major international tournament for Denmark, the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship, they went out in the quarterfinal to France after winning all matches in the group stages. The Danish team was affected by a lot of players missing the tournament including goalkeepers Sandra Toft and Althea Reinhardt and pivots Sarah Iversen and Rikke Iversen. This was the first time since 2019 that Denmark left a major international tournament without any medals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2025-12-11-thomsen-gentager-pointe-om-dansk-niveau-ekspert-koeber-den-ikke-helt|publisher=TV2|title=Thomsen gentager pointe om dansk niveau – ekspert køber den ikke helt|date=12 December 2025|accessdate=12 December 2025|language=da}}</ref>
==Titles== ===As Coach=== ====International==== ; With Sweden * '''European Women's Handball Championship''': ** ''Bronze medals'': 2014 ; With Netherlands * '''World Women's Handball Championship''': ** ''Bronze medals'': 2017 * '''European Women's Handball Championship''': ** ''Silver medals'': 2016 ** ''Bronze medals'': 2018
====Club==== * '''Danish Women's Handball Cup''' ** ''Winner'': 2012, 2014, 2015 * '''Danish Women's Handball League''' ** ''Winner'': 2013, 2015 ** ''Silver medals'': 2014, 2016 * '''EHF Cup Winners' Cup''' ** ''Winner'': 2015
===As player=== * '''Danish Women's Handball League''' ** ''Silver medals'': 1996-97 ** ''Bronze medals'': 1989-90
==Private== Helle Thomsen has acted as the foster parent for Danish handballer Sabine Pedersen.<ref name=fosterparent />
==External links== * [https://dhdb.hyldgaard-jensen.dk/spiller.php?id=3909 DhDb profile] * [https://www.eurohandball.com/en/player/t3PPTbe-6MQvPdSv5VAhOg/Helle-Thomsen/ EHF profile]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Sweden squad 2014 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Netherlands squad 2016 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Netherlands squad 2017 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Netherlands squad 2018 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2025 World Women's Handball Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomsen, Helle}} Category:Danish handball coaches Category:Danish women's handball players Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in Romania Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in Sweden Category:Sportspeople from Frederikshavn Category:Handball coaches of international teams Category:Frederikshavn fI handball players Category:Handball players from the North Jutland Region Category:Danish expatriate handball players in Norway Category:Expatriate handball coaches Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in France Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in Turkey Category:Female handball coaches