With heart, passion and an outstanding goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, Germany's handball players mastered the final World Cup tour de force and reported back to the extended world class.

Finally, the team of national coach Alfred Gislason won against Norway in Stockholm on Sunday with 28:24 (16:13) and finished the tournament in fifth place.

The best throwers for the DHB selection were Luca Witzke, Johannes Golla and Kai Häfner, each with five goals.

In the ninth game in 17 days, the German team in front of 6260 spectators showed no after-effects from the first game in the placement round against Egypt, which was won on Friday only after extra time with 35:34.

Although there were one or the other phase of weakness, this time there was no slump.

Experienced goalkeeper Wolff once again shone between the posts with a world-class performance.

The 31-year-old fended off numerous throws by the Norwegians - including three seven-meter throws - and gave the people in front a lot of security.

Even before the final encounter, Gislason had given the goalkeeper an excellent World Cup certificate.

"He held up great," said the national coach about Wolff's performance at the finals in Poland and Sweden, and attested to the personal development of the 2016 European champion: "He's mature, calm, and incredibly stable.

He's ambitious, but not as tense as a few years ago."

“It was very refreshing”

Wolff's teammates were also wide awake at an unusually early time and showed a largely concentrated performance in defense and attack.

Juri Knorr steered the game carefully again and was very well represented by Witzke during his longer breaks.

Lukas Stutzke, who was nominated later, also posed a goal threat from the backcourt.

With three goals each in the first 30 minutes, the duo played a large part in the three-goal lead at the break.

"It was very refreshing what the two showed," praised DHB sports director Axel Kromer at halftime.

After the change, the DHB selection even pulled away by six goals because Wolff continued to act at the highest level and now hit Häfner in front.

In the final phase, strength and concentration dropped a bit, but in the end the Gislason protégés were able to celebrate.

Even before the kick-off, Kromer had drawn a positive World Cup balance.

The team "worked closer to the top of the world.

We're in the closest field of pursuers," said the 46-year-old.

But you don't yet have "the experience and breadth of the squad like the top teams".

That should change by next year when the European Championships in Germany increase.

"The goal must be to take another step forward and finish in the top four," said DHB President Andreas Michelmann.