List: The best playmakers at the 2023 World Championship

The 2023 World Championship is getting closer and in a series of articles Ola Selby, reporter at GoHandball, picks his 5 best players at each position. Now we move on to the playmakers.

Here are the players:

Stine Bredal Oftedal, Norway

221116 Stine Bredal Oftedal of Norway celebrates during the EHF Women’s European Championship handball match between Norway and Denmark on November 16, 2022 in Ljubljana. Photo: Jesper Zerman / BILDBYRÅN / COP 234 / JZ0278

Oftedal is not as hysterically great as she was a few years ago but she is still one of the best playmakers in the world, no doubt about it. And just like a few of her friends in the Norwegian team, Oftedal is always better the closer we get to the final.

Marketa Jerabkova, Czech Republic

221030 Marketa Jerabkova of the Czech Republic and Anna Lagerquist of Sweden during the friendly handball game between Sweden and the Czech Republic on October 30, 2022 in Karlskrona. Photo: Suvad Mrkonjic / BILDBYRÅN / COP 170 / SM0194

Czech Republic won’t scare anyone during the WC but Jerabkova definitely will. She can play left back or she can play in the middle, but no matter where she plays she will be a threat to any team. 

Mie Höjlund, Denmark

Mie Højlund of Denmark. Photo: Mathilda Ahlberg / BILDBYRÅN

Another player who can play a few different positions but I choose to put the Odense player here. She is fast, great at the breakthroughs, smart, and still pretty underrated. 

Bruna de Paula, Brazil

Bruna de Paula of Brazil. Photo: Christoffer Borg Mattisson / BILDBYRÅN

Speaking of players who can play several different positions. De Paula is great as left back, centre back, and right back. Everything in Brazil’s play will be about her.

Inger Smits, Netherlands

Inger Smits of Netherlands. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN

An important player for both the Netherlands and Bietigheim. Can do it all but here the main focus will be creating great opportunities for Dione Housheer and Lois Abbingh.