Who is the best handball player in the world right now? A top 10 list

Who is the best handball player in the world right now? A top 10 list

Kenneth Mwenda
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:23 PM

It is entertaining to watch the best handball players whenever the world championships occur. They are in a league of their own because of their extraordinary capacity to suspend the laws of physics on a handball court. They eventually reach the top, inspire their teams to greatness, and take home prizes like the IHF and EHF.

Who is the best handball player in the world right now? A top 10 list
Denmark's Mikkel Hansen (L) tries to score against Netherlands' Lars Kooij during a match at the MVM Dome arena in Budapest, Hungary, on January 24, 2022. Photo: Attila KISBENEDEK
Source: Getty Images

Handball is a very famous sport in Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world. It is a squad game played on a court of 40 metres by 20 metres, and the group that scores more goals wins.

Top 10 world's best handball players in 2023

Over the years, the sport has produced some of the most outstanding athletes well-known worldwide. However, most of these players are from some of the top handball-performing countries.

10. Niclas Ekberg

World's best handball player
Niclas Ekberg of Sweden during the Men's EHF EURO 2022 Final match against Spain on January 30, 2022, in Budapest, Hungary. Photo: Nikola Krstic
Source: Getty Images

Swedish player Niclas Ekberg plays for THW Kiel and the Swedish national team. He competed for Sweden on the silver-winning Olympic team in 2012.

Niclas also played for the Swedish national team in the 2022 European championship, where he converted a last-second penalty shot to give Sweden the victory. His number on the team is 10, and he has already scored over 758 goals in his handball career.

9. Sander Sagosen

Best handball player of all time
Sander Sagosen of PSG during the Lidl Starligue match between Paris Saint Germain and St Raphael at Salle Pierre Coubertin on September 20, 2018, in Paris, France. Photo: Dave Winter
Source: Getty Images

Sander Sagosen is a player for the Norwegian national team and the THW Kiel club. He has previously played for Paris Saint-Germain, Haslum HK, Aalborg Handbold, and Kolstad IF.

Sagosen is already regarded as a national hero on the international stage, and his every move is closely scrutinized. Anyone who sees the Norwegian play leaves with the impression that he can predict what will happen on the handball court before it happens. He has the advantage of being that fraction of a second faster, which enables him to split teams in half with quick decisions.

8. Ahmed El-Ahmar

World's best handball player 2023
Egypt's Ahmed El-Ahmar jumps to throw the ball during the IHF Men's World Championship at the Jyske Bank Boxen arena in Herning on January 21, 2019. Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand
Source: Getty Images

Egyptian player Ahmed El-Ahmar has represented the Egyptian national team and Zamalek SC club. He is regarded as Africa's and Egypt's top handball player.

The handball player, dubbed the "golden boy of Egyptian handball," began his career with the national team at the 2005 World Cup events in Tunisia. He has since led the group in eight straight competitions.

7. Luc Abalo

Best handball players in 2023
Luc Abalo of Paris Saint-Germain with the ball during the Lidl Starligue match against Nantes at Stade Pierre de Coubertin on December 13, 2018, in Paris, France. Photo: Aurelien Meunier
Source: Getty Images

Luc Abalo plays for the French national team and the Zeekstar Tokyo club. His full name is Luc Kangny Abalo. He has competed for his country since 2005 and has won gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, 2009, 2011, and 2017 World Championships, as well as 2006, 2010, and 2014 European Championships.

Abalo is a skilled graphic designer. In response to a request from the French Olympic Committee, he created a wristband to promote Paris' 2024 Summer Olympics bid. Eventually, in September 2015, roughly 1.5 million copies were sold.

6. Husain Al-Sayyad

Best handball player in India
Husain Al Sayyad reacts as he sits on the floor during the men's handball match at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo on July 26, 2021. Photo: Daniel LEAL
Source: Getty Images

Husain Ali Al-Sayyad is a handball player from Bahrain who also represents the Bahraini national team and competes for the Al-Najma club. He competed in the 2017 World Men's Handball Championship and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Husain served as Bahrain's Olympic flagbearer in 2020 alongside Noor Yussuf Abdulla. He and his teammates made it to the quarterfinals of the handball tournament.

5. Jim Gottfridsson

EHF best handball player
Jim Gottfridsson of SG Flensburg-Handewitt in action during the LIQUI MOLY HBL match at Barclaycard Arena on September 01, 2022, in Hamburg, Germany. Photo: Cathrin Mueller
Source: Getty Images

Jim Gottfridsson is a Swedish player who competes for the Swedish national team and SG Flensburg-Handewitt. He competed for Sweden's men's national handball team in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The Swedish team's strength lies in this centre-back, who also has a deft touch and superb vision. Gottfridsson has experience competing for Sweden at the youth level before joining the senior team in 2017. He is regarded as one of the best centre-backs because of his excellent defending and strong aerial ability.

4. Dika Mem

Best handball player in the world, 2023
Dika Mem of Barca looks on during the EHF Champions League Final4 final match between Barca and Lomza Vive Kielce at Lanxess Arena on June 19, 2022, in Cologne, Germany. Photo: Martin Rose
Source: Getty Images

French handball player Dika Mem competes for FC Barcelona and the French national team. He joined Barça in the summer of 2016 as one of the world's most talented right-backs. His development has not let him down, as he is now a handball superstar whom all of his competitors fear.

Dika Mem, a lefty, is notable for his shooting prowess and physical toughness. The young Frenchman has made steady progress and has met every challenge head-on with aplomb.

3. Aleix Gomez

Croatia's best handball player
Aleix Gomez Abello during the EHF Champions League Final4 Men's first semi-final match between THW Kiel and Barca at Lanxess Arena on June 18, 2022, in Cologne, Germany. Photo: Alex Gottschalk
Source: Getty Images

Spanish handball player Aleix Gómez competes for FC Barcelona and the Spain national team. Aleix Gómez, a quick winger with good finishing ability, rose through the Club's youth ranks before earning a spot on Xavi Pacual's first-team roster. His pace has been crucial in making quick transitions from defence to attack.

Gómez has transformed into a quick player with great finishing ability since joining FC Barcelona. He is currently among the world's top right wings. Gómez, a youth international for Spain, was a member of the junior team that won the 2017 World Championship and was also listed in the ideal seven as the best right winger.

2. Nikola Karabatic

Best handball player
Nikola Karabatic of France during the IHF Mens World Championship match between Slovenia and France on January 16, 2023, in Katowice, Poland. Photo: PressFocus
Source: Getty Images

Nikola Karabatic is a player from France who competes for both Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team. He was a squad member that captured three Olympic gold medals, four World Championship gold medals, and three European Championship gold medals. He is regarded as one of the greatest handball players in history and was named the IHF World Player of the Year three times, in 2007, 2014, and 2016, tying a male record.

Due to Karabatic's physical prowess, technical prowess, and tactical understanding, he is regarded as one of the best players in the world. He has been a longtime brand supporter and ambassador for Shock Doctor and has emerged as a key figure in the company's European match safety campaign. He is regarded as one of the best handball players of all time.

1. Mikkel Hansen

World's best handball player
Mikkel Hansen of Denmark during the Men's EHF EURO 2022 Semi Final match between Spain and Denmark at the MVM Dome on January 28, 2022, in Budapest, Hungary. Photo: Nikola Krstic
Source: Getty Images

Mikkel Hansen is a left-back who currently plays for the Danish Club Aalborg Håndbold. Hansen is regarded as one of the greatest handball players in history and has tied the record for most times as IHF World Player of the Year by winning the award three times.

With the Danish national team, he won the 2016 title in Rio de Janeiro, the 2019 title in Denmark, and the 2012 title in Serbia. He is an Olympic Champion, a World Champion, and a European Champion.

Our article on the best handball players in the world features only active players as of January 2023. There are several great all-time sports stars from Croatia, India and other parts of the world. However, we avoided including them since they have already retired.

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The Olympics is the cornerstone of sport and features the best athletes from around the globe competing for gold, silver, and bronze medals. Click on the above link to read more!

Authors
Kenneth Mwenda photo
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a business and sports writer with over five years of experience. At Sportsbrief, he contributes to writing biographies and listicles.