Mads Christiansen

{{Infobox handball biography

| name = Mads Christiansen

| image = Mads Christiansen.jpg

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|5|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Næstved, Denmark

| nationality = Danish

| height = {{height|m=1.97|precision=0}}

| position = Right back

| currentclub = Retired

| years1 = 2004–2006

| clubs1 = GOG

| years2 = 2006–2008

| clubs2 = TMS Ringsted

| years3 = 2008–2011

| clubs3 = Aalborg Håndbold

| years4 = 2011–2013

| clubs4 = Team Tvis Holstebro

| years5 = 2013–2016

| clubs5 = Bjerringbro-Silkeborg

| years6 = 2016–2019

| clubs6 = SC Magdeburg

| years7 = 2019–2021

| clubs7 = Aalborg Håndbold

| years8 = 2021–2023

| clubs8 = Fredericia HK

| years9 = 2023–2024{{cite web|url=https://europamester.dk/tidligere-dansk-landsholdsspiller-stopper-karrieren |title=Tidligere dansk landsholdsspiller stopper karrieren|publisher=europamester.dk|author=Jan Skjødt Østergaard Pedersen|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}}

| clubs9 = Aarhus HC

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2016

| nationalteam1 = Denmark

| nationalcaps1 = 117{{cite web|url=https://danskhaandbold.dk/statistik/spillere/675263|publisher=Danish Handball Federation|title=Mads Christiansen|access-date=6 March 2025}}

| nationalgoals1 = 257

| medaltemplates =

}}

Mads Christiansen (born 3 May 1986) is a Danish former handballer. He is an Olympics champion from 2016 and a European champion from 2012. He is currently the head of youth development at Danish club Aarhus Håndbold.{{cite web|url=https://aarhush.dk/tidligere-landsholdsspiller-bliver-chef-for-aarhus-handbold-akademi/|publisher=Aarhus Håndbold|title=Tidligere landsholdsspiller bliver chef for Aarhus Håndbold Akademi|date=3 July 2024|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}}

Playing Career

In 2006 he joined TMS Ringsted from GOG Svendborg. Here he was the club topscorer for both seasons he played there. In 2008 he joined AaB Håndbold.{{cite news|url=https://www.handballtransfer.dk/mads-christiansen-hyldes-for-en-trovaerdig-karriere/|publisher=håndboldtransfer.dk|title=Mads Christiansen stopper sin flotte karriere|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}} Here he won the Danish championship and Cup in 2010. When the club acquired Johan Jakobsen in 2011 he began to see less playing time, and therefore he joined Team Tvis Holstebro to become a first choice player. Here he was the captain of the team.{{cite news|url=https://folkebladetlemvig.dk/sport/derfor-stopper-mads-christiansen-i-tth|publisher=Folkebladet Lemvig|title=Derfor stopper Mads Christiansen i TTH|author=Morten Strægaard|date=23 January 2013|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}}

In 2013 he joined Bjerringbro-Silkeborg despite having a year left on his contract at TTH. He could use a clause in his contract to leave the club.{{cite web|url=https://jyskebank.tv/mads-christiansen-til-bjerringbro-silkeborg|publisher=Jyske Bank|title=Mads Christiansen til Bjerringbro-Silkeborg|date=22 January 2013|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}}

In the 2015-16 season he won the Danish championship with Bjerringbro-Silkeborg. In 2014 he joined Qatari club Lekhwiya on a one month loan deal, where he helped out when the club struggled with injuries.{{cite news|url=https://www.tvmidtvest.dk/silkeborg/mads-christiansen-til-qatar|publisher=TV Midt/Vest|title=Mads Christiansen til Qatar|author=Klaus Knudsen Pedersen|date=24 May 2014|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}}

On 21 October 2015 SC Magdeburg announced that they had signed with Mads Christiansen, and he joined the club on 1 July 2016. Here he played with Danish national team collegues Jannick Green and Michael Damgaard. In 2017 he extended his contract at the club for one more year.{{cite web|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2017-09-08-dansk-ol-guldvinder-fortsaetter-karrieren-i-tysk-haandbold|publisher=TV2 Danmark|website=sport.tv2.dk|title=Dansk OL-guldvinder fortsætter karrieren i tysk håndbold|author=Jacob Qvirin Petersen|date=8 September 2017|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}} In August 2018 Aalborg Håndbold announced the signing of Mads Christiansen who would return in the summer 2019 on a 3-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://aalborghaandbold.dk/mads-christiansen-vender-tilbage-til-aalborg-haandbold/|publisher=Aalborg Håndbold|title=Mads Christiansen vender tilbage til Aalborg Håndbold|date=24 August 2018|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}} Here he won the Danish Championship twice in a row in 2020 and 2021. In 2021 he joined Fredericia HK.{{cite web|url=https://fhk.dk/nyheder/mads-christiansen-skifter-til-fhk|publisher=Fredericia HK|title=Mads Christiansen skifter til FHK|date=8 February 2021|access-date=6 March 2025|language=da}}

In 2023 he joined Aarhus HC in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier, after his contract at Fredericia HK ran out.{{Cite web|last=Nordestgaard Lage|first=Jacob|date=2024-01-28|title=Hvad laver EM-heltene fra 2012 i dag?|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2024-01-24-hvad-laver-em-heltene-fra-2012-i-dag|access-date=2024-08-30|publisher=TV2 Danmark|website=sport.tv2.dk|language=da-DK}}{{Cite web|title=Mads Christiansen skifter til FHK|url=http://fhk.dk/nyheder/mads-christiansen-skifter-til-fhk/|access-date=13 June 2021|publisher=Fredericia Håndboldklub|language=da}} He retired a season later.

=National team=

He debuted for the Danish national team on 25 October 2007.

His first major international tournament was the 2011 World Championship in Sweden.{{cite web | first = Finn| last = Jensen| title = 14 mand udtaget til VM | url=http://www.dhf.dk/DHF/Presse/Nyheder/Artikel.aspx?articleId=ece44e27-8ba8-431d-a421-669407e2092c | publisher = Danish Handball Federation| date = 2010-12-14| access-date = 26 December 2010 | language =da}} Here he won a silver medal.

He is European Champion with the Danish national team, after winning the 2012 Championship in Serbia, defeating the host nation in the final, 21–19.

At the 2016 Olympics he won gold medals with the Danish team. This was the first time Denmark won that tournament. After the olympics he retired from the Danish national team.{{cite web | url = http://www.dhf.dk/Presse/nyheder/2016/Oktober/mads_christiansen_stopper_paa_landsholdet | title = Mads Christiansen stopper på landsholdet | publisher = Danish Handball Federation | date = 13 October 2016 | first = Bodil | last = Kjærgaard | access-date = 13 October 2016 | archive-date = 13 October 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161013221118/http://www.dhf.dk/Presse/nyheder/2016/Oktober/mads_christiansen_stopper_paa_landsholdet |url-status=dead }}