The next jurors in the voting for the Total Player Award are editors of the website VLV.
VLV is the Hungarian water polo portal with a long-lasting tradition and a rich base of knowledge on both the game and the players.
In voting for the best male players, VLV did something extraordinary.
VLV’s Top 5 Male of 2019
1st – Alessandro Campagna
The head coach of the Italian national team
“We know that this choice is extraordinary, but we want to reward Campagna’s outstanding performance precisely because his team achieved the world champion’s title in lack of world-class individual players. He and his team achieved the title clearly with victories based on team unity. “
But since this is a Player’s award here is the list of five best players in the last season:
1st – Denes Varga
Hungarian National Player | Club: Ferencvarosi TC | Position: Driver
“Played in the best form of his life this year, but he could show it only in the Europa Cup, the Hungarian Championship and the Champions League, as he suffered a broken finger in the first match of the World Championships. Even though he joined his team right after it happened, obviously he could not add much to the performance of the Hungarians who finished 4th in the end. He was the team captain of the Hungarian national team that won the gold medal at the Europa Cup in Zagreb and of the winner FTC at the F8 tournament of the Champions League in Hanover. He earned the MVP title in both competitions.”
2nd – Francesco Di Fulvio
Italian National Player| Club: Pro Recco|Position: Driver
“At the age of 26, he is not only an Olympic bronze medalist but also a world champion. He holds the centre post in Pro Recco and the Italian national team. He was selected as the most valuable player of the tournament at the World Championships in Gwangju.”
3rd – Aleksandar Ivovic
Montenegrin National Player | Club: Pro Recco | Position: Driver
“He is already 33 years old and has been a strong base for Pro Recco for the sixth year and we are not even surprised to hear that as a defender he was the top scorer of the World Championships in Gwangju with 21 goals.”
4th – Filip Filipovic
Serbian National Player|Club: Pro Recco|Position: Wing
“He scored four goals for Serbia in the Super Final of the World League. He was the leader of the Serbian team for which this tournament in Belgrade was the most important event of the year. He also became MVP in this tournament.”
5th – Felipe Perrone
Spanish National Player | Club: Barceloneta | Position: Field Player
“He played a big role in getting the Spanish national team to the final of the World Championship.”
VLV’s Top 5 Female of 2019
As for the time being, VLV deals only with men’s water polo, but, as in 2018, the editors asked László Tóth, the assistant head coach of the Hungarian women’s national team, to vote on behalf of them for the best female player.
1st – Ashleigh Johnson
USA National Player | Club: Vouliagmeni | Position: Goalkeeper
“She is the very well-trained, strong goalkeeper of the American national team that won the World League and the World Cup. She played a decisive role in her team’s victories.”
2nd – Margaret Steffens
USA National Player | Club: CN Sabadell | Position: Driver
“She is also an American player in a leading role. She is extremely versatile and strongly coordinates her teammates, and her merits in the success of the Americans are indisputable.”
3th – Rita Keszthelyi
Hungarian National Player | Club: UVSE Budapest | Position: Driver/Wing
“A strength of the Hungarian team, she excelled herself again as the top goal scorer of the World Championships.”
4th – Maica Garcia Godoy
Spanish National Player | Club: CN Sabadell | Position: Centre Forward
“A world top player in the centre forward position of the Spanish team. Her play in the Spanish team was decisive in winning the silver at the World Championships.”
5th – Roser Tarrago
Spanish National Player | Club: Mediterrani | Position: Driver
“She was the MVP of the World Championships. She played in a great form throughout the matches.”
Check out the other votes so far and cast your own on the official Total Waterpolo Player 2019 page.
