Handball is a fast-paced and exciting sport that requires a combination of physical strength, agility, technique, and teamwork.
This comparatively less popular sport is played by millions of people worldwide and has featured some truly legendary players who have amazed fans with their exceptional skills and accomplishments.
But who are the best handball players of all time? How do they compare to each other in terms of performance, awards, and influence?
Today, we will rank the best handball players ever, based on their individual and team accomplishments, their impact on the sport, and their popularity among fans and experts.
We will also look at factors that set them apart from the rest, such as their playing style, signature moves, and memorable moments.
Here are the top 10 best handball players of all time:
10. Veselin Vujović
Veselin Vujović is a former Montenegrin handball player and is currently the coach of RK Vardar.
He started his professional career with RK Metaloplastika, the team that won seven league titles, four cup titles, and two European Championships.
He played for many teams like Barcelona and Granollers, but these teams didn’t win any titles.
He played in the national team of Yugoslavia, which won the Olympic gold in 1984 and bronze in 1988, scoring 28 and 29 goals in each Olympics, respectively.
Veselin Vujović was named the Best Athlete of Yugoslavia and was the first player to win the IHF World Player of the Year.
9. Niklas Landin
Niklas Landin is a handball player who plays for the national team of Denmark and THW Kiel.
He started his professional career with GOG Svendborg TGI, but due to the club’s financial distress, Niklas Landin joined Bjerringbro-Silkeborg.
He also played for Rhein-Neckar Lowen and is now with THW Kiel.
He won the 2015 Super Cup with THW Kiel in his first season with the club. Niklas Landin plays as a goalkeeper and is the captain of the Danish national handball team.
He has won a European Championship and a silver medal at the Men’s Handball championship.
He was a part of the 2016 Olympic gold-winning Danish handball team. In 2021, Niklas Landin won the 2021 World Men’s Handball Championship.
8. Anita Görbicz
Anita Görbicz is a Hungarian former professional handballer, considered one of the greatest handball players of all time due to her exceptional skills, leadership, and numerous achievements.
Görbicz was voted IHF World Player of the Year in 2005 and is also the all-time top scorer of the Hungarian women’s national team, with 1,111 goals in 233 games.
She also won the EHF Champions League trophy five times, the Hungarian Championship and Cup eight times each, and several medals at the World and European Championships.
She was selected for the World Championship All-Star Team four times and was the EHF Champions League Top Scorer twice.
She is known for her extraordinary passes, cheeky goals, and leadership skills both on and off the court.
She is the Honorary Citizen of Győr, and her iconic number 13 shirt has been retired by the Hungarian Handball Federation.
Anita Görbicz retired from playing handball in 2021 and became an assistant coach for Győri ETO KC and the Hungarian national team.
7. Ólafur Stefánsson
Ólafur Stefánsson is a former handball player of the Icelandic national team.
He played the right-back position and was the captain of the Icelandic national handball team for many years.
Ólafur Stefánsson started his professional career with Valur, where he became five times Iceland Champion.
As he gained popularity and developed skills, he played many times for SC Magdeburg, but the team where he got success was BM Ciudad Real.
He won the Spanish title and Champions League many times with Ciudad.
He has over 1550 goals in his name, which is the third-highest in handball history.
He is an Olympic silver-medalist, bronze medalist in the European championship, and has won the Icelandic Sportsperson of the year.
6. Cristina Neagu
Cristina Neagu is the only female handball player in history to win four IHF World Player of the Year awards (in 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2018).
She has also been voted into the All-Star Team at the European Championship four times and a staggering seven times at the Champions League.
She was the 2015 World Championship top-scorer and MVP. She also finished as the top scorer of the EHF Champions League three times.
She has been selected to the All-EHF Champions League All-Star Team seven times (another record).
She is known for her extraordinary passes, cheeky goals, and leadership skills both on and off the court.
Neagu is known for her unstoppable handball shot, which has been analyzed by sports scientists using KINEXON technology.
She has gone from being a hot prospect in the Romanian handball scene to becoming one of the top 10 handball players of all time.
5. Mikkel Hansen
Mikkel Hansen is a legendary Danish handball player who represented the Denmark national handball team and enjoyed a highly successful club career with teams including Paris Saint-Germain.
Hansen’s father was also a Danish international handball player, appearing in more than 100 matches, which inspired Mikkel to develop a passion for the sport from an early age.
Before beginning his professional career, he played for Helsingør IF and Virum-Sorgenfri HK. In 2005, Hansen started his senior professional career with GOG, where he won the Danish Championship. He later played for FC Barcelona, AG København, and Paris Saint-Germain, establishing himself as one of the greatest handball players of his generation.
Throughout his career, Mikkel Hansen scored well over 1,000 international goals for Denmark and made more than 250 appearances for the national team. Playing primarily as a left back, he became known for his powerful shooting, playmaking ability, and consistent performances.
Hansen made history by becoming the first player to win the IHF World Player of the Year award three consecutive times. During his illustrious career, he won two Olympic gold medals, four IHF World Championships, and two EHF European Championships with Denmark.
Following the conclusion of his playing career, Mikkel Hansen retired from professional handball in 2024, leaving behind one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport.
4. Talant Dujshebaev
Talant Dujshebaev is a former Russian-Spanish handball player. He is the current handball coach of Lomza Vive Kielce.
He started playing handball for CSKA Moscow, where he developed new skills and became a great player.
He became a Unified Team member ( former Soviet Union Team), who won the gold medal in the 1992 Olympic games.
Talant Dujshebaev was the leading scorer in that Olympic game. In 1993, as a member of the Russian Team, he won the 1993 World Championships.
After receiving Spanish citizenship, he joined the Spanish National Team.
As a part of the Spanish National Team, Talant Dujshebaev won two Olympic bronze medals and one bronze and silver in the European Championships.
He was the IHF World Player of the Year two times and finished second in the IHF World Player of the Century.
3. Magnus Wislander
Magnus Wislander is a retired Swedish handball player and is widely regarded as one of the greatest handball players in the history of the sport. Nicknamed “The Hose,” he earned the title for his remarkable ability to weave through defenses with exceptional skill, strength, and agility.
Wislander represented the Swedish national handball team from 1985 until his retirement from international handball in 2004. During his illustrious career, he made more than 380 international appearances and scored over 1,000 goals for Sweden.
He played a pivotal role in one of the most successful eras of Swedish handball, helping the national team win two IHF World Championships and four EHF European Championships while also competing in multiple Olympic Games.
In recognition of his extraordinary achievements and lasting impact on the sport, Magnus Wislander was voted the World Handball Player of the Century in 1999, cementing his legacy as one of handball’s all-time greats.
2. Nikola Karabatić
Nikola Karabatić is a legendary French handball player who represented the France national handball team and enjoyed a highly successful club career, including many seasons with Paris Saint-Germain Handball.
Karabatić began his professional handball career with Montpellier HB, where he won four consecutive French league titles and an EHF Champions League title. He later joined THW Kiel in Germany, winning four consecutive German Championships and another EHF Champions League title.
During his club career, Nikola Karabatić also played for Montpellier HB, Pays d’Aix Université Club Handball, FC Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain Handball, establishing himself as one of the greatest handball players of all time.
Internationally, Karabatić achieved extraordinary success with France. He won three Olympic gold medals, multiple IHF World Championship titles, multiple EHF European Championship titles, and also earned two World Championship bronze medals.
Following an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Nikola Karabatić retired from professional handball in 2024, leaving the sport as one of its most decorated and accomplished players.
1. Ivano Balić
According to fans, experts, and polls, Ivano Balić, a retired Croatian handball star, is considered the best handball player of all time.
It is confirmed by an online poll organized by the International Handball Federation (IHF).
He is now working as the assistant coach of the Croatian national handball team. Ivano Balić started playing basketball, but after his father insisted, he began playing handball.
He started his professional career with RK Brodomerkur Split, where he played for four seasons, and the team reached the top positions in the league.
Later in 2001, he moved to RK Metkovic Jambo, where he won the Croatian Cup and League championship in the first season.
In Metkovic, Ivano Balić focused on improving his game and worked on new skills that made him win the IHF World Player of the Year in 2004.
He got a chance to play with his idol Jackson Richardson for four years.
We have ranked the top 10 best handball players in history based on their individual and team achievements, impact on the sport, and popularity among fans and experts.
Their profound impact on raising the sport’s profile and redefining what can be achieved on the court ensures their places among the legacy of handball legends.
While new stars will continue emerging and pushing the boundaries, the players featured here stand out as pioneers who left an indelible mark and forever changed the game.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned something new about handball and its stars.