The Luxembourg national team made an impressive run at the Pétanque World Championships this weekend in Dijon, successfully qualifying for the final stages. Although they were defeated by Tunisia in the quarter-finals, they ultimately secured an outstanding fifth place.

The 51st Pétanque World Championships, held this week at the Zénith in Dijon, showcased a superb performance by Luxembourg's national team under the guidance of coach Paulo Serrano. The team entered the tournament mid-week, kicking off their campaign on Thursday with the goal of securing a place among the top 24 teams for next year’s championship.

In the qualifying phase, Luxembourg faced a challenging lineup of opponents, including Australia, Italy, Germany, Finland, and Ukraine. Winning three out of five matches, they ranked 14th out of 48 teams, earning a spot in the group stages of the 2024 World Championship. Their next challenge was to face Monaco, a fierce team that is often seen on the podium.

Luxembourg began the group stage with a victory over Canada before taking on Monaco in a nail-biting match. After nearly two hours of intense play, Luxembourg emerged victorious with a 13-10 win, earning direct qualification to the round of 16. There, they faced Denmark and repeated their success with another 13-10 victory, securing their spot in the tournament's later stages.

Luxembourg faces Tunisia in the quarter-finals of the 2024 World Championships on 7 December 2024 / © Mobile reporter
A photo taken during the round of 16 at the Zénith in Dijon on 7 December 2024 / © Mobile reporter
A photo taken of the qualifying rounds in Dijon / © Mobile reporter
The national team before leaving for the 2024 World Championships in Dijon / © Mobile reporter
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Luxembourg's national team reached the quarter-finals, a historic achievement, but their journey ended with a 13-2 loss to a strong Tunisian team. The result was a disappointing one for players Claudio Contardi and Massimo Santioni, who had hoped for a medal. The players has been selected to represent Luxembourg in Dijon. "We're a bit disappointed to go out just before the medals," said Santioni, acknowledging the setback

Despite the loss, both players were quick to recognise the strength of their opponents, who are well accustomed to reaching the later stages of international competitions. "If we had been told we would make it to the World Cup quarter-finals, we would have signed right away," said Contardi.

Luxembourg's fifth-place finish in the 2024 World Championship is a remarkable achievement, considering it was the team's first quarter-final appearance since 2008, when the World Championships was held in Senegal. As the tournament continues, Madagascar has already secured a spot in the final, with the remaining semi-final yet to be played.