Since winning the silver medal at the 2001 IHF Men’s World Championship, Sweden have started the tournament with five wins in a row only once, at Denmark/Germany 2019, when two losses saw them eliminated in the main round.

A five-match winning streak is hard to seal in the world handball flagship competition, but the co-hosts are now primed to do it when they face Iceland in the last match of the second matchday of the main round in Gothenburg. Sweden would ensure a quarter-final berth and first place in the group with another win. Therefore, the aim is simple: win at all costs.

The Scandinavian side has been truly impressive, ranking second in the overall attacking stats – with 144 goals scored, one less than Denmark – while also conceding the lowest amount of goals – tied with Egypt at 85 goals after four matches.

Sure, their core is more or less the same as the it was at the EHF EURO 2022 last January, but one player has really stood out with excellent progress, delivering some outstanding performances along the way.

His name is Eric Johansson, and he is the youngest player in an experienced squad. Aged only 22, Johansson has always been touted as the next best thing coming out of Sweden’s youth system, and the left back has truly confirmed the rumours at Poland/Sweden 2023.

With 20 goals in four matches, he is the team’s second top scorer, five goals behind left wing Hampus Wanne. He also added 12 assists, ranking once again second for Sweden behind Jim Gottfridsson, who has 19 under his belt.

But Johansson, who was close to missing the championship due to an injury sustained while training at club team THW Kiel last autumn, was also a stalwart in defence with two blocked shots – the team leader in this category – and one steal, contributing in his 100 minutes spent on the court so far.

“It was always going to be a special tournament for us because we are playing at home and the fans are amazing. I think I am speaking for all my teammates that there are goosebumps when the anthem is played in the Scandinavium in Gothenburg and we are all motivated to give it our all,” says Johansson.

“So far, the tournament has been great for us and we have won four matches in a row, but tougher challenges are on the horizon and we cannot make any mistakes. A loss would derail our campaign, so we want to be at the top of our level.”

Indeed, Sweden have been excellent so far, displaying some impressive handball on both sides of the court and totally outplaying their opponents. It also helped that they had a good progression in terms of the schedule, which got harder and harder. 

But if the match against Hungary can serve as an indicator, one that the Scandinavian side won by a clear margin, 35:28, Sweden are definitely one of the teams to beat in this tournament. Still, their mettle will be tested in the next two matches of the main round. Iceland and Portugal await, and both will play for their lives, as the qualification to the quarter-finals depends on these results.

“The job is only half done so far and we expect tougher matches to come. Therefore, we must not get complacent now. The start has been good, but we know that we will not have it easy in the next week or so,” adds Johansson.

With a win against Iceland in a sold-out Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden would not only seal a quarter-final berth but also win the group, which means a showdown against Egypt, Denmark, Bahrain or Croatia, the team which will finish second in Group IV.

But with Johansson in the squad, the reigning European champions have a good shot at sealing their objective, which is definitely a trip to the final weekend in the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, where the fans are expected to flock to cheer for their side.

Last year, Johansson was in the squad that won the EHF EURO 2022, but had a fringe role, scoring only eight goals in 15 matches. This time around, the Sweden wunderkind has become more of a figure in the squad as his time on the court has vastly improved.

The move from Norwegian champions Elverum Handball to German powerhouse THW Kiel also helped a lot, as Johansson scored 28 goals in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League and 59 goals in 13 matches in the German Bundesliga for Kiel.

“That move helped me to get even better because the level of the matches is higher and training with some of the greatest players in the world really helps me to improve and sharpen my skill set,” says Johansson.

While his lack of experience is a minus, the left back certainly has an excellent eye for the game, as he has shone on both sides of the ball so far at Poland/Sweden 2023. With the same level of commitment and performance, the co-hosts know that they can go far in the tournament.

And who knows, maybe Johansson can become both a world and a European champion at the start of his career.