Total Player 2018 by Yoji Omoto
December 2, 2018
NCAA Finals – USC Beats Stanford for The National Championship Title
December 3, 2018
The Total Player 2018 continues in both Male and Female Category with VaterpoloVesti.
The web portal has been active for six years, bringing water polo news from all around the world. They’ve been covering all the important subjects related to water polo, with an emphasized focus on regional matches which they cover in great detail.
This is the second time they’ve joined the Total Player Award, this year participating in Male and Female Categories. See the 10 players they picked for the season!
VaterpoloVesti’s note:
“Although this is not an award for the best young and uprising players, we put some of them on the list. In our honest opinion, they are the future stars of water polo and will take over the scene.”
VaterpoloVesti’s Total 5 Male of 2018
1st – Nikola Jakšić
Serbian National Player | Club: Ferencvarosi TC | Position: Centre Back
“Throughout 2018, Jakšić proved capable of achieving the highest level of play. He’s been up to the task year after year. With the Euro Cup and the European Championships, the time has finally come to give him credit for his outstanding defensive performances, overall talent, and success.”
2nd – Ioannis Fountoulis
Greek National Player | Club: Olympiacos Piraeus | Position: Centre Forward, Wing
“It has been another year of Fountoulis’s outstanding performances in Olympiacos. This time he crowned it with the European Championships title. It was the team’s effort, of course, but he was at his best when it mattered the most.”
3rd – Alberto Munarriz
Spanish National Player | Club: Barceloneta | Position: Defender
“Munarriz has been the driving force in Barceloneta this season, along with being an important part of the medal Spain won at the Europeans. There are some criteria similar to Jakšić, especially when it comes to their age. Munarriz really proved his worth and became a leader.”
4th – Gergő Zalánki
Hungarian National Player | Club: Szolnoki VSC | Position: Field Player
“Zalánki obviously has some time to grow and accomplish more in water polo, but he’s already a pleasure to watch. With his skills, he’s making water polo more interesting.”
5th – Francesco Di Fulvio
Italian National Player | Club: Pro Recco | Position: Field Player
“We’re putting di Fluvio on our list for the second year in a row. Pro Recco’s “underachievement” pushed him out of the spotlight for a moment, but his individual skills are of top quality.”
VaterpoloVesti’s Total 5 Female of 2018
1st – Ekaterina Prokofyeva
Russian National Player | Club: KINEF-Surgutneftegaz: Kirishi | Position: Driver
“Prokofyeva is the driving force behind the title Kinef Kirishi got. She has always been among the best, but with this achievement, she climbed the top.”
2nd – Catharina “Sabrina” van der Sloot
Dutch National Player | Club: AS Orizzonte Catania | Position: Wing
“A superb player in every element of the game. With the success she achieved in Barcelona and good performance in Orizzonte, this was overall a great season for her.”
3rd – Maud Megens
Dutch National Player | Club: USC | Position: Field player
“After two silver medals at the European Championships, Megens finally made to the title with her National Team. Along with van der Sloot, she’s been the vital part that made the difference. Now she has a gold medal to back it up.”
4th – Anni Espar
Spain National Player | Club: CN Sabadell | Position: Driver
“Her playing and her skills, in general, are currently at the peak. Also, her dedication is one of the main factors to put her on the list of the best players last season.”
5th – Arriana Garibotti
Italian National Player | Club: AS Orizzonte Catania | Position: Field Player
“Garibotti is consistently playing on the highest possible level. But what mainly got her on the list is her ability to be a leader, while she’s an individual of great quality at the same time.”
