MIES (Switzerland) – In 3x3, rivalries are born not from bad blood but from brilliance meeting brilliance. Few matchups have embodied that better than the growing tension and mutual respect between the Netherlands and France. Across Olympic glory, World Tour heartbreaks and emotional Finals, this matchup has evoked the intensity of global 3x3 competition.
Roots of respect
Franck Seguela says it best, "When we play against the Netherlands or Amsterdam, it's always something special."
This rivalry didn’t come from nowhere, though. It grew through numerous battles and the knowledge that both teams push each other to their limits.
"Both of our teams are very competitive," Seguela adds, "and that’s where it really starts."
Jan Driessen echoes the sentiment from the Dutch side, "You feel like the energy is different when we play the French team... you know each other so well. It's different than with other teams."
There’s no mystery here. These two have seen each other’s every move, every tweak, every evolution. That familiarity doesn’t dull the rivalry. Familiarity sharpens it.
Paris 2024: Golden moment and a heartbreak
The rivalry reached its emotional zenith in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Under the Parisian sky, France hoped to crown a home triumph. However, the Netherlands had other plans. The gold-medal game was pure 3x3 theater, featuring high speed, higher stakes and a hush over the crowd when Worthy de Jong and his team seized the moment.
"To be honest," Driessen recalls, "playing them in their own country didn’t feel like extra pressure... it’s the biggest game you can play. But if you can pick someone to play against, of course it’s France."
For de Jong, silencing the roaring French crowd added an exclamation mark to history, "It did shut a lot of people, a lot of fans down... everybody was for France, so it definitely made it bigger."
For the French, it was devastation wrapped in pride. Jules Rambaut remembers the final moments vividly, "It was like a coin toss at the end. We would have been the kings of France, but we’re not. It was kind of hard, during like 15 minutes, and then you just remember, you’ll be on the podium, you’ll have what you dreamed of."
Seguela, gracious in defeat, said, "You can do your best and it can go one way or the other, but we really enjoyed the moment."
Heartbreak kids again
Their next grand act came at the FIBA 3x3 WT Final 2024 in Hong Kong. It was a veritable rematch between Paris and Amsterdam. The stage was set for revenge, and Seguela nearly delivered it. His long two-point shot seemed to win the game, until replay showed his toe brushing the line.
"For sure, I thought we won this game," Seguela said. "It was maybe the shot of my year."
Instead of a two, though, it was ruled a one. Consequently, the Dutch capitalized to claim another crown. To nobody's surprise, it was De Jong again who was Mr. Big Shot.
"Everybody knew I was going to take that shot," remembers De Jong. "When he (Seguela) shot the ball, I heard the challenge being made... if we would have lost, we would have just lost."
Seguela accepted the cruel twist of fate with maturity, "It’s how sports is made."
Amsterdam 2025: French revenge
Fast forward to 2025, it took almost a year, but France finally got their moment. Toulouse beat Amsterdam in the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA 3x3 WT Amsterdam 2025, en route to the title.
"Feels great," said Rambaut. "It feels like we beat the curse."
Seguela added, "Winning Amsterdam was nice, but it’s not enough. We have more to give them before we are even."
De Jong, ever the competitor, took it in stride, "They won, and I’m happy for them. They got to beat us at our turf, good for them. But if they felt like that was their payback, then they’re still down one."
Rivalry continues in Manama
This story isn’t over, far from it. Both Amsterdam (NED) and Toulouse (FRA) have already booked their tickets to the FIBA 3x3 WT Final 2025 in Manama, Bahrain. Amsterdam enter as the No. 3 seed, while Toulouse sit close behind as the No. 5 seed. With both teams in top form, the stage is once again set for a potential showdown, this time under the desert lights.
A rematch in Manama would be more than just another game. It would be the next chapter in a rivalry that has come to define modern 3x3 basketball, a blend of competition, character and deep mutual respect.
Beyond rivalry
For all the fire, there’s no animosity, only mutual respect.
"I don’t think there’s beef," says Seguela. "We love to put this energy in our game, but it’s always in a good way."
Rambaut admits, half-smiling, "It’s true, they (French fans) hate Worthy... but I’m sure he’s a nice guy."
And Worthy himself?
"I don’t think we have beef either," he says. "I’m just not a trash talker. I’d rather prove it by playing basketball."
In the end, that’s what makes this rivalry so magnetic. It's not about hatred, but shared excellence. Each clash feels like a Final, each possession a story. Whether in Paris, Hong Kong, Amsterdam or now Manama, the truth is that when France meet the Netherlands, it's peak 3x3.
FIBA