Emil Madsen Returns For THW Kiel After 11-month Injury Layoff

Emil Madsen returns for THW Kiel after knee injury

“Being Back Makes Me So Happy,”says Madsen on return for Kiel after 330 days.

Madsen scores 4 on return as Kiel beat pick Szeged 42-32...

Danish international Emil Madsen made his long-awaited return on Friday night after 330 days out, as THW Kiel beat Hungarian side Pick Szeged 42-32 in a pre-season friendly in front of 6,700 fans at the MERKUR Ostseehalle.  

The winger’s return came 330 days after suffering the knee injury and undergoing surgery, ending nearly 11 months of rehabilitation since his last THW appearance in September 2025.  

At the club’s season-opening event, the 25-year-old left-handed backcourt player stepped back onto the handball court for the first time. He received a huge reception when he came on in the 26th minute, and soon after scored to put Kiel 19-13 and 20-14 ahead.

Emil Madsen is expected to be out until the end of the year due to cartilage damage in his right knee, THW Kiel have just announced.#handball pic.twitter.com/p1lwafwbG7

— Rasmus Boysen (@RasmusBoysen92) October 6, 2025

Madsen added two more goals late on and was all smiles during the autograph session with hundreds of children afterward: “It was just a friendly, but we really had a lot of fun. And just being back out there makes me so happy!”  

Kiel will play their first competitive match of the season at home to TBV Lemgo Lippe on Thursday, August 27.