Experience is key in trying to win the title at the IHF Men’s World Championship, and that has been proven time and time again in the last decades when veterans delivered vintage performances to secure the big prize in the world handball flagship competition.

Take for instance Egypt 2021, when the champions, Denmark, delivered a win on penalties against the hosts in the quarter-finals, which could not have been possible without a monster effort from goalkeeper Niklas Landin Jacobsen exactly when they needed it most.

While the record for the highest number of appearances at the IHF Men’s World Championship – 11 times, set by Argentina’s line player Gonzalo Carou, who retired from international handball after Egypt 2021 and will act as an assistant for the South American team – will not be beaten, several players are due to take the stage at the IHF Men’s World Championship for the third decade in a row.

Ninth time's a charm for Karabatić?

The leader in this key statistic for the teams involved at Poland/Sweden 2023 is France left back Nikola Karabatić, the only player to have previously played in eight editions of the IHF Men's World Championship. Karabatić's adventure in the competition started at Tunisia 2005. He has won six medals – four gold and two bronze – and is a key part of France's drive to become the most decorated side in the competition's history.

Named the MVP of the IHF Men's World Championship twice, in 2011 and 2017, a feature beaten only by Mikkel Hansen, who won the award three times, Karabatić has been immense for France. He has scored 282 goals in the past eight appearances in the competition, needing only 18 goals to hit the 300-goal mark. His streak of eight consecutive World Championship editions was broken two years ago when he missed Egypt 2021. Still, he came back after an injury and became an Olympic champion at Tokyo 2020 only a few months later.

Denmark players bring plenty of experience

Five players are now featuring in their eighth edition of the IHF Men's World Championship, following closely in Karabatić's footsteps, and three of them are from Denmark. The reigning world champions, who did not lose a single match in the last two editions on their way to the trophy, boast one of the most experienced sides, including goalkeeper Niklas Landin Jacobsen, right wing Hans Lindberg and left back Mikkel Hansen.

Hansen, who scored 288 goals at the IHF Men's World Championship and needs only 12 goals to break the 300-goal milestone, is a three-time MVP of the competition (2013, 2019 and 2021) and was also the All-Star left back at the IHF Men's World Championship twice, in 2011 and 2019. This will also be his eighth consecutive edition of the competition, a streak dating back to 2009.

Niklas Landin, Denmark's captain, is a two-time IHF Male World Player of the Year, an award he received in 2019 and 2021 when Denmark won the gold medal at the World Championship, and was also the All-Star goalkeeper in the competition twice, in 2013 and 2019.

Denmark's credentials at Poland/Sweden 2023 will also be bolstered by the return of veteran Hans Lindberg, the right wing having missed the tournament at Egypt 2021. Now 41 years old, Lindberg had an active streak from 2007 until 2019 and won three medals – gold at Germany/Denmark 2019, silver at Sweden 2011 and at Spain 2013.

Croatia also bring a stalwart as Domagoj Duvnjak will feature at the World Championship for the eighth time. He was already selected for the All-Star team in 2013 when Croatia got the bronze medal. Four years earlier, at his first edition of the competition, the 34-year-old centre back secured the silver medal. Now, at his eighth World Championship for Croatia, he will hope to instil some life into a team that has lost its spark but has much to offer in what could be a make-shift Croatia team, with plenty of injuries to navigate.

Last but not least, Spain back Joan Cañellas is also featuring at the IHF Men's World Championship for the eighth consecutive time, being a key part of Jordi Ribera's roster at the age of 36. Cañellas' streak started in 2009 and his excellent contributions have helped Spain win three medals in that span – gold in 2013 and bronze in 2011 and 2021.

Seven consecutive appearances for five players

Five players will be taking to the court for the seventh time at the IHF Men's World Championship in Poland/Sweden 2023, and they are scattered throughout the globe. For all five, this will be the seventh tournament in a row they are playing in, with no injury derailing their appearance until now.

Iceland's goalkeeper Björgvin Páll Gústavsson is one of them, alongside another goalkeeper, Egypt's Karim Hendawy, who was nothing short of superb at Egypt 2021 when he helped his side reach the quarter-finals. 

In a sea of changes, Germany's right wing Patrick Groetzki has always been there since 2011, reaching the seventh consecutive edition of the tournament, and Brazil's left wing Fábio Chiuffa has been an integral part of the South American team.

Chile's captain Rodrigo Salinas has been present at every edition of the world handball flagship competition where his team has featured, starting in 2011.

Seven other players – Argentina’s playmaker Diego Simonet, Egypt’s Mamdouh Shebib and Ibrahim El-Masry, Chile’s pair of brothers of Emil and Erwin Feuchtmann, Brazil’s defensive specialist Thiagus Petrus dos Santos, and Spain’s line player Gedeón Guardiola will be playing at the IHF Men’s World Championship for the sixth time. In comparison, eight other players will be present for their fifth edition of the competition at Poland/Sweden 2023.