Since the start of 2023, when Denmark secured their three-peat at the IHF Men’s World Championship co-hosted by Poland and Sweden, the Scandinavian side has made the final of every major international competition. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games just completed the trifecta for the Scandinavian side, which can now add another Olympics title to their growing tally.

The reigning world champions have conceded only seven losses in their last 58 matches in major international competitions – the IHF Men’s World Championship, the Olympic Games and the EHF EURO – and are in the last act at Paris 2024 after securing seven wins in seven matches.

But for Simon Pytlick, the 23-year-old Denmark left back, this final is yet another fantastic performance in what projects to be a superb career in handball.

Pytlick made his debut for the national team in 2021, being closely watched by coach Nikolaj Jacobsen. Back then, he was only 20 years old, and Jacobsen decided not to fast track his ascension in the senior team.

But since 2023, Pytlick became a regular for Denmark. His debut at the IHF Men’s World Championship, where he also won the title, was stellar, being selected in the All-Star team as the best left back of the competition, slowly emerging as the heir apparent to Mikkel Hansen.

One year later, Pytlick also made the final at the EHF EURO 2024, this time conceding the title to France. And now, at Paris 2024, the left back is in his third consecutive final. A 100% efficiency in the major international competitions. Basically, Pytlick helped Denmark qualify in each of the three last finals.

“I am so happy to be here. It is my dream. I have been dreaming about this since I was a little kid, to be able to play in such a final. And here we are. It is crazy,” said Pytlick after Denmark’s 31:30 win in the semi-final against Slovenia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Interesting enough, is that Pytlick, for a player of his age,  is not a role player in Denmark’s big scheme of things. Jacobsen trusts his qualities, as a player who can both shoot from far, but also can break through and cause havoc in the opponents’ defence.

So far, Pytlick, the son of coach Jan Pytlick, who led Denmark's women national team between 1998 and 2006 and in a second stint between 2007 and 2014, has scored 48 goals at Paris 2024, 10 of which came from the 6-metre line, 11 were scored via breakthroughs and 25 came from 9-metre. What’s even more interesting is that his efficiency has been peak at Paris 2024, with the left back converting 70% of his shots.

He is also the third goal scorer in this edition of the Olympics, after Slovenia’s Aleks Vlah, who has 53 goals, and teammate Mathias Gidsel, with 51 goals, making Pytlick a crucial player who is starting before Mikkel Hansen, who has taken a supporting role. Moreover, only three players – Gidsel, Niclas Kirkelokke and Lukas Jorgensen – have played more than Pytlick.

However, the match against Slovenia showed some cracks in Denmark’s armour, with a five-goal lead evaporating in the closing minutes, as the reigning world champions were under a huge pressure in the closing seconds. They prevented their opponents to score and eventually won.

But this was the second consecutive win by a single-goal margin, after the quarter-final against Sweden, which Denmark took, 32:31. In the end, a win is a win, though, and Pytlick celebrated advancing to the final – the third in three major international competitions – with his teammates.

“I am very happy that we won against a strong opponent. We are not the only best team in the world. There are so many good teams now in the world, here at the Olympics. But, of course, when you have put such a high standard, everybody expects us to win with ten goals, but you cannot do that in these finals,” added the left back.

With one win and one loss in major finals, Pytlick will hope to secure his second trophy with Denmark come Sunday, when the handball competitions end in the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille.

“We are not tired, we are only excited and looking forward to the final on Sunday. I am just happy to be here and that another dream has been fulfiled,” concluded Pytlick.