At the Paris Olympics, Diego Simonet arrived in two ways: as a handball player leading the Argentine national team and as an entrepreneur with the creation of the board game “Olympikos”. This is not his first Olympics, nor is it the first game he has created. All of this revolves around “taking the leap”. From facing a sea of “no” but always with the possibility of a “yes” in mind; from being a local talent to an MVP on the continent strongest in handball, and from organizing family games to founding the company DS4GAMES.
“I got into handball because of my parents”
It 
runs in the blood. It’s no secret that Argentina is a “football, football, football” country, but it turns out that Diego’s parents were both handball players. His father played pivot; his mother, center back. They met at Ferro Carril Oeste, a football club that also supports other sports. Both were very successful, reaching the national team, although she retired at 23 when she became pregnant with Sebas. He continued playing for many more years, and their friends, all handball players, visited the Simonets every weekend. What do you think they talked about?
This is how they passed on their passion to their three children: Sebas, Diego, and Pablo. In the Simonet household, it’s all about “handball, handball, handball.”
“I went in search of that luck”
At 16, “El Chino” went to play in Brazil, and during the off-season, he decided to try his luck with Torrevieja in Spain. “If you’re short a cone, put me in instead!” His approach was to make a space for himself, without any airs, wherever he fit; and it seems that this boldness caught the eye of Manolo Laguna, the Spanish team’s coach at the time. Thus began his European adventure. He would stay with Torrevieja for two seasons (2009-2011).
“I went in search of that luck. I put myself out there. And I think that nowadays, those things are important. They help a lot.”
“Consider that it’s a 14-hour journey; we’re really far from Europe, and you have to be willing to leave everything behind. Leaving family, friends, studies, and going to try your luck for 700 or 800 euros at most in the first year just to learn or whatever—it’s difficult. Spain was the place we first tried because of the language and the contacts. I wish professional handball existed in Argentina and everywhere else; that Spain wasn’t the only place to go for a tryout, but that it could be done at various clubs. That’s the project I have for the future: to help young people from America take those first steps and make connections in Europe, not just in Spain.”
“With grit”
His next steps in Europe take him to France, to Ivry. Once again, it’s about putting himself out there and giving it his all
“The language and the climate were terrible for me. I went back to Argentina after a year, and my friends would say, ‘Speak French, tell us a bit,’ and I didn’t know anything. I was so embarrassed that I said, ‘No, when I go back to France, I’ll get serious and take French classes.’ And that’s how, by sharing a locker room and giving it my all, I managed to integrate. After that, everything became much easier. I believe that enthusiasm is key. Nowadays, I see foreign players arriving at the club, and 60% of them don’t make much effort to learn. Many rely only on English and shut themselves off. It’s amazing the impact those who want to learn and put in the effort have within the team.”
Two years at Ivry, and then Montpellier. He’s been there since 2013. It’s been quite a career. The training sessions at the French club are known for their intensity, and Diego knows of several players who have turned down the chance to join the team just because of how tough the training is.
“I knew I was at a very demanding club, and I loved it. To this day, I still do. I want to keep giving my all here. I know that in two, three, or four years, I’ll retire, and I want to be able to say, ‘I’m aware that I gave everything and that I couldn’t have trained any harder.’ I had the chance to join a more relaxed team, but I want to be at the highest level until the very last second. When I can’t do that anymore, I won’t go to another club. I’m used to this. In the national team, the intensity I bring to training is unlike what the other guys are used to. Sometimes I get frustrated, but I know that’s normal and not their fault; and it’s hard to stay calm.”
The “grit” continues to lead him to new achievements: Montpellier wins the Champions League in 2018, and El Chino is named MVP.
“When I was younger, I never dreamed of winning the Champions League or being named MVP or anything like that. Everything developed gradually. At 15, my goal was to play for the Argentine national team. I watched my brother, who was starting at Torrevieja and getting called up to the national team, and to me, that was the ultimate achievement. Then, everything evolved from there. I felt capable of being on the national team, of being important to the team. I was at Torrevieja, often not playing and being a substitute, but I felt capable of being a starter, you know? That motivated me even more to keep working and to prove myself in training.”
“Then, the opportunity came to join a prestigious club like Montpellier. It was a critical moment when the club was on the brink of disappearing; many sponsors and players had left, and I was the affordable player with a lot of potential. It was incredibly tough—I had never trained so hard in my life. That’s why winning the Champions League was so significant for me. It was a gamble Montpellier took on me, and then, considering the sacrifice of training so hard, suffering so much, and dealing with so many injuries, winning that title and repaying everything Montpellier had done for me and I for the club was crucial. I had just come back from a torn ACL, missed the Rio Olympics, and felt like my world had collapsed. I worked incredibly hard not just to return to my level but to be better than before; and it was a huge achievement, something I honestly didn’t think I’d be capable of.”
“I feel fantastic!”
Time and the wisdom that comes with it help one realize that innate talent needs to be honed with consistency and good habits.
“I feel much better now than I did at 23 because today I know what works for me and what my limits are. I also know how to recover properly. Back then, I would just do whatever I was told or train with exercises like pivots or other drills, go out partying, not eat well, and not get enough sleep… This season has been great for me physically. I feel fantastic! Maybe, with the mindset I have now, if I’d had it at 23, I would have had many fewer injuries. At 23, I thought, ‘I won’t even make it to 30 or 31!’ And now, the team tells me, ‘I hope I can make it to 34 like you.’ But I used to say that when I was young too, and then you become more aware and see that it’s possible. If you do things right, you can achieve it.”
AGAIN… WHY NOT GO FOR IT?
He did it. He took the plunge and created a board game, “1812,” launched it with his own company, DS4GAMES, and released two more: “The Secrets of the Eiffel Tower” and “Olympikos.” The first one is a hit in Argentina, the second has become the official game of the Eiffel Tower, and the third? “I launched it with the hope that it would become one of the official games of the Paris Olympics.” All of them are not only competitive but also educational—a combination that guides his creations.
“Shall we play a game?”
“I was very shy, you know? I was very reserved, and being on a team and having such a social life unlocked that fearlessness in me—whether it’s taking the plunge or speaking French, even if you make mistakes. And that’s how I ventured into my projects. I’m very creative; I love playing board games. In France, I discovered modern games that hadn’t reached Argentina, and I was fascinated. Every time I went back to Argentina, I’d bring games from Europe and play with the national team, the club, my family, and friends. It became a hobby. I’d buy five board games every weekend, and one day I came up with an idea for a game, made it, and when they told me it was really good, I thought, ‘Why not go for it?’ I got into it, learned about publishing, manufacturing, and attended talks by board game creators. And that’s how it all started.”
His smile broadens even more when he talks about the time spent with his loved ones thanks to a game. “Dad, shall we play a game?” is his little daughter’s question every night or after snack time; and the answer is always, “Let’s play.
“What I love most about board games is gathering friends and family together. Everyone puts their phones away, and you really connect around the game. You look each other in the eye and talk. They’re highly interactive games, and it’s truly wonderful. Sometimes, I get messages from parents with photos of their kids playing with friends, saying, ‘You got them to put down their phones.’ That really warms my heart.”
Anything else?
As if that weren’t enough, he has also completed a diploma in sports management. The initial idea was to start a club in his home country and help Argentine handball, but now, with a family and two children, “you think twice about things.”
“It’s a dream. I know I’ll stay connected to handball and will try to do as much as I can. I hope the situation in Argentina improves a lot, that things get better, and that progress can be made; because I believe that sports educate a lot and save many people, and right now, things are very tough in Argentina.”
He also aims to build strong connections between America and Europe.
“To identify the top talents in America and help them come over for a month or a month and a half to try out at the best training centers in Europe. Places where they can learn top-level handball while also studying. To establish agreements with clubs and find out what they are looking for in the future of their teams. I believe I’m in a position to make this happen, and I love working with young players, supporting them. It’s essential for a player coming from so far away to feel comfortable in Europe without family or friends and to be well advised. If I hadn’t had my family’s support, I probably would have quit handball at 21 or 22, because there are very tough moments.”
The great thing is that he continues and will inspire others to keep going. There he is in Paris with the Argentine national team. He’s reached other Olympics. He’s suffered another injury against Hungary, but he’ll keep giving it his all to be there with Los Gladiadores. Full of determination, and surely with a few board games to share good times with his teammates.
¡Qué groso que sos! A Game-changer, without a doubt.
