| Uwe Gensheimer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gensheimer in 2020 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Born | 26 October 1986 Mannheim, West Germany | ||
| Nationality | German | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left wing | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
1997–2003 | TV 1892 Friedrichsfeld | ||
– | SG Kronau/Östringen | ||
| Senior clubs | |||
| Years | Team | ||
2003–2016 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | ||
2016–2019 | Paris Saint-Germain | ||
2019–2024 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | ||
| National team | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2005–2021 | Germany | 204 | (921) |
Uwe Gensheimer (born 26 October 1986) is a German former professional handball player. [1] Gensheimer is considered to be one of the best players in his position all-time, especially known by his "magic wrist" because of his ability to spin his shots. He captained both the German national team and his club Rhein-Neckar Löwen. [2] [3] On May 31, 2024, he retired, playing his last game against SC Magdeburg.
Since his retirement from playing he has been the sporting director at his former club Rhein-Neckar Löwen. [4]
Gensheimer started playing handball aged 5 at TV 1892 Friedrichsfeld. In 2003 he joined the youth ranks of the Bundesliga team SG Kronau-Östringen (later called Rhein-Necker Löwen). In his first season he won the Baden and South German youth championship and made his senior debut. In the 2004 season he was promoted from the 2nd Bundesliga liga, but he was relegated in the following season.
In 2006, 2007 and 2010 he reached the finals of the DHB-Pokal, but would lose all of them to either HSV Hambourg or THW Kiel. In 2013 he won his first title, when Rhein-Neckar Löwen won the 2012-13 EHF European Cup. [5] In 2016 he was part of the team that won Löwen's first ever German Championship, as they beat SG Flensburg by a one point. [6]
The following summer he joined French top team PSG Handball. [7] In his first season he won the domestic double. In the 2016-17 EHF Champions League they reached the final, but they suffered a surprising defeat to RK Vardar. [8] The following season they went out in the semifinal to league rivals HBC Nantes.
On 30 January 2019 he announced that he would return to Rhein-Neckar Löwen the following summer, on a contract until 2022. [9] In December 2021 he extended his contract until 2024. [3] His first seasons back with the Löwen was rather mixed, but in 2023 they won the DHB-Pokal beating SC Magdeburg after extra time and penalties. [10]
Before the 2023-24 Bundesliga season Gensheimer underwent surgery due to a recurrring knee injury. He was expected to return for the second half of season, but due to setbacks during rehabilition, he announced his retirement on December 8th, 2023. [11] On 30 May 2024 he played his last home game, although he only played for a few minutes to say goodbye to the fans. [12] [13] [14]
He made his international debut on 25 November 2005 against Slovenia. [15] In 2021 he announced the end of his time in the national team, where he was the captain from 2014. [16] He has the sescond most goals on the German National team with 204, only behind Christian Schwarzer with 966. [17]
He played at the 2010 and 2012 European Championships, and the 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2019 World Championships. He missed the 2016 European Men's Handball Championship, where Germany won gold medals, due to injury. [18]
At the 2016 Summer Olympics he won bronze medals with Germany, for which he was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt. [19]
| Season | Team | League | Games | Goals | 7M | Outfield goals | Goal average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003/04 | SG Kronau/Östringen | Bundesliga | 6 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1.2 |
| 2004/05 | SG Kronau/Östringen | 2. BL Süd | 33 | 203 | 57 | 146 | 6.2 |
| 2005/06 | SG Kronau/Östringen | Bundesliga | 30 | 168 | 58 | 110 | 5.6 |
| 2006/07 | SG Kronau/Östringen | Bundesliga | 33 | 129 | 11 | 118 | 3.9 |
| 2007/08 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 32 | 128 | 0 | 128 | 4.0 |
| 2008/09 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 33 | 132 | 3 | 129 | 4.0 |
| 2009/10 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 34 | 214 | 98 | 116 | 6.3 |
| 2010/11 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 34 | 214 | 81 | 133 | 6.3 |
| 2011/12 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 33 | 247 | 84 | 163 | 7.5 |
| 2012/13 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 16 | 105 | 37 | 68 | 6.6 |
| 2013/14 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 31 | 209 | 75 | 134 | 6.7 |
| 2014/15 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 36 | 218 | 89 | 129 | 6.1 |
| 2015/16 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 29 | 197 | 87 | 110 | 6.8 |
| 2016/17 | Paris Saint-Germain | Starligue | 24 | 167 | 55 | 112 | 7.0 |
| 2017/18 | Paris Saint-Germain | Starligue | 23 | 115 | 26 | 89 | 5.0 |
| 2018/19 | Paris Saint-Germain | Starligue | 24 | 117 | 53 | 64 | 4.9 |
| 2019/20 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 22 | 134 | 59 | 75 | 6.1 |
| 2020/21 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 30 | 163 | 69 | 94 | 5.4 |
| 2021/22 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 12 | 62 | 24 | 38 | 5.2 |
| 2022/23 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 23 | 107 | 47 | 60 | 4.7 |
| 2023/24 | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | Bundesliga | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
| Total | Bundesliga | 435 | 2438 | 826 | 1612 | 5.6 | |
| Total | 539 | 3040 | 1017 | 2023 | 5.6 | ||
| Average per season (excluding 2023/24) | 26.9 | 151.8 | 50.8 | 101.1 | |||