Water polo’s only transparent and comprehensive individual award has spoken. The Total Player Award 2024 selections, determined through rigorous evaluation by 49 expert jurors including coaches, captains, and journalists, present this season’s definitive lineup of excellence.
Let’s dive into the complete lineups that represent the pinnacle of water polo excellence in 2024!
Women’s Total 7
Left Wing – Bea Ortiz (Spain)
Ortiz’s dominance reflects water polo’s evolution toward complete players. Her overwhelming point total – more than doubling her nearest competitor – validates a season where technical brilliance met competitive excellence. Olympic gold and Champions League glory showcase her ability to elevate both national team and club performances.
Center Forward – Maica Garcia (Spain)
Garcia’s selection redefines modern center forward play. Beyond traditional holding and scoring responsibilities, her tactical awareness creates spaces that amplify Spain’s offensive fluidity. Second place in overall voting confirms her pivotal role in Spain’s systematic excellence.
Center Back – Elena Ruiz (Spain)
At just 20, Ruiz embodies water polo’s future. Six major medals already adorn her young career, but it’s her tactical maturity – orchestrating defense while initiating attacks – that earned her elite status. Her emergence signals both Spain’s player development prowess and water polo’s youth revolution.
Goalkeeper – Gabriella Palm (Australia)
Palm’s Olympic silver with Australia underlines her world-class capabilities. Modern goalkeeping demands more than shot-stopping, and Palm’s distribution and tactical reading have set new standards for the position. Her selection reflects the increasing importance of goalkeepers in building attacks.
Left Driver – Rita Keszthelyi (Hungary)
The Hungarian captain’s presence represents tactical sophistication at its finest. Keszthelyi’s technical mastery provides a masterclass in position versatility, crucial in modern water polo’s fluid tactical systems.
Right Driver – Judith Forca (Spain)
Left-handed precision meets tactical awareness. Forca’s natural shooting angle creates unique opportunities, while her chemistry with Spanish teammates amplifies their collective effectiveness. Her selection validates Spain’s emphasis on tactical versatility.
Right Wing – Simone van de Kraats (Netherlands)
Another left-handed dynamo, van der Kraats led Netherlands to European glory in Eindhoven. Her scoring efficiency combines with tactical awareness to create a modern right-wing template, proving crucial in Dutch success.
Men’s Total 7
Goalkeeper – Marko Bijac (Croatia) The Croatian wall continues to define modern goalkeeping excellence. His crucial saves during Croatia’s World Championship triumph in Doha and Olympic silver in Paris showcased why he remains the sport’s premier shot-stopper. Bijac’s commanding presence and distribution have been instrumental in both Croatia’s national team success and Jadran’s defensive prowess throughout the season. His ability to read the game and organize defense has elevated both squads’ tactical flexibility.
Center Forward – Ben Hallock (USA) Breaking through in a position traditionally dominated by European talent, Hallock’s Olympic bronze with Team USA marks a watershed moment for American water polo. His physical presence, tactical awareness, and scoring efficiency at Pro Recco have established him as the world’s leading center forward.
Central Defender – Nikola Jaksic (Serbia) The Serbian captain’s defensive mastery combined with playmaking ability epitomizes modern central defender play. His leadership proved crucial in Serbia’s third consecutive Olympic gold, orchestrating defense while contributing key offensive moments.
Left Driver – Loren Fatovic (Croatia) Numbers tell the story: 67 goals, 62 assists, and 37 earned exclusions across major tournaments. Fatovic’s complete season saw him excel at every level – from steering Croatia and Jadran Split in every major competition.
Left Wing – Alvaro Granados (Spain) The Spanish dynamo’s historic backhand shot securing European gold in Zagreb symbolizes his clutch performance ability. His explosive speed and shooting accuracy have made him Spain’s offensive cornerstone.
Right Driver – Nikola Dedovic (Serbia/Vasas) A master of tactical versatility, Dedovic’s intelligent play and defensive prowess earned him this elite recognition. His contribution to Serbia’s Olympic campaign secured him a deserved spot in Total 7 team.
Right Wing – Dusan Mandic (Serbia) The Total Player 2024 dominated every statistical category: 93 goals, 35 assists, 17 blocks, 27 steals, and 32 earned exclusions. Beyond numbers, Mandic’s unprecedented second Total Player award reflects his game-changing impact across all competitions. His 34 Champions League goals leading FTC to victory and crucial Olympic performances (26 goals) showcase why he received 30 out of 31 first-place votes.
Both Total 7 teams represents evolution toward complete players who transcend traditional positional constraints.
Check out all the votes – Total Player Award 2024
