Kylian Prat on family legacy and playing the Winamax EHF Finals 2026

Living in a handball family

“My dad has a very important role. He phones me after every game and gives me his analysis. If I have had a terrible game, he will be the first to let me know,” laughs the young player, who has been with Montpellier for eight years.

Prat played his first game with the professional team of the club in 2022, after developing at the academy for many years before. Even though Prat's dad is now the sports director of the club of Tremblay en France, he has always kept an eye on Kylian’s progression.

“It is not pressure for me. I am really happy about it. It’s always good when someone that close has been in the business before, as it helps you not make the same mistakes,” he adds.

Kylian Prat was only seven years old when his dad played — and lost — the Cup Winners’ Cup final with Tremblay en France against VfL Gummersbach. However, he does not remember much about it, and he does not remember his dad playing the return leg of the 2011 final in LANXESS Arena in Cologne.

“But I have heard stories about it, and my dad kind of hinted about it when we called after we qualified for the EHF Finals against Vardar. He basically told me that now we just had to go all the way,” he reveals.

One last step

The Winamax EHF Finals 2026 will be Montpellier’s second appearance at the business end of the competition, but Prat’s first, as he was out due to a knee injury last season.

“That was not easy to handle, as you don’t know if you are ever going to be playing this kind of tournament ever again. But, thankfully, we managed to qualify again,” says Prat, before looking back to the return leg of the quarter-final confrontation against Vardar.

“That was one of the toughest games I have ever played. I remember the atmosphere in Kiel two seasons ago in the EHF Champions League was impressive. Skopje was equally as impressive, but in a different way."

Despite being only 22, Prat handled things like a pro. Not even playing in his natural position since the start of the season, the former U21 France player has tried to make the best of the situation.

“I have been playing on the left wing for the past two seasons, while I have played on the back court all my life,” he explains. Such a change might have been frustrating for some, but he tried to look at the silver lining instead.

“I try to help the team the best I can, and also to enjoy myself. Of course, I would rather play on the back court, but in the meantime, making the effort to play on the wing means that I still get to play. And it’s very important for a young player like me.”

It is on the wing again that you should see Prat play at the Winamax EHF Finals 2026 on 30–31 May. And, as seems to be becoming usual at this time of the season, Montpellier will battle with THW Kiel on their way to a medal.

“They are a legendary club. To me they are like the Real Madrid of handball, but in the meantime, we proved in the last two seasons that both teams were more or less playing on the same level. We have a lot of quality, and we proved that we were not scared of any team over the last two seasons,” he says, before concluding:

“With our fans, the Blue Fox, we have travelled all the way to Hamburg. And we are not going to stop just yet.”

Photos © Rafał Jakubowicz / Rebud KPR Ostrovia Ostrow Wlkp; Laura Etienne / Montpellier Handball & Ingrid Anderson-Jensen