Dance.hr is a Croatian water polo website named after Dubrovnik’s “Danče” cove, where VK Jug was founded in 1923. In recent years, Dance.hr has become well-known, not only in Croatia, for its columns and analyses of today’s water polo.
Here are they TOP 5 pick for both categories
1. Maggie Steffens (USA)
US National Player | Club: CN Sabadell | Position: Left Driver
Maggie is a true leader of the one of the best team in history of water polo. This year she won her 3rd Olympic gold and became the best scorer in history of the OG.
2. Ashleigh Jonhson (USA)
USA National Player | Clubs: Ethnikos | Position: Goalkeeper
It is so much easier to defend when you know that the best goalkeeper in the world is watching your back. Once again she dominated in Tokyo.
3. Maddie Musselman (USA)
US National Player | Clubs: UCLA | Position: Left Driver
Another very important player for the team USA. She was amazing both in the World League and Olympic Games.
4. Simone van de Kraats (NED)
Dutch National Player | Clubs: Polar Bears / CN Mataro | Position: Right Driver
Young Simone definitely deserved her position in the TOP 5 after being named the best scorer of the Olympic tournament.
5. Rachel Fattal (USA)
US National Player | Clubs: Hunter Hurricanes | Position: Right Driver
If you try to stop Maggie and Maddie, Rachel will punish you from the right side :)
1. Dusan Mandic (SRB)
Serbian National Player | Clubs: Pro Recco / Novi Beograd | Position: Right Driver
Mandic won the Champions League and the Olympic Games and was a significant component of his teams' successes. He had the greatest season of his career so far, at the age of 27. His goals make a difference. He forces a lot of exclusions, being in the focus of the defensive concept of each opponent.
2. Nikola Jaksic (SRB)
Serbian National Player | Clubs: FTC / Novi Beograd | Position: Center Back
Because Ferencvaros lost to Pro Recco in the Champions League final, Mandic is slightly better than Jaksic. On the route to a second consecutive Olympic gold, Jaksic helped Serbia in many segments. He can play excellently as a second center-forward, besides his dominant play as a center-back, which is a rarity and exception today. He is only 24 years old, so we expect an additional step forward from him in the next 2-3 seasons.
3. Stylianos Argyropoulos (GRE)
Greek National Player | Clubs: Olympiacos / Jug Adriatic | Position: Left Driver
A hero of the Greek national team. He is most deserving of their first Olympic medal. He was a pillar of his team's defense. In addition, he was a "Factor X" in attack with his entries as a second center-forward, scoring numerous goals, including four in a 9:6 victory over Hungary in the semifinals in Tokyo.
4. Filip Filipovic (SRB)
Serbian National Player | Clubs: Szolnok / Olympiacos | Position: Right Driver
At the age of 34, he is still a man for significant moments. He scored a lot of important goals. This year, the winning goal in the Olympic semifinals versus Spain, scored with just seven seconds remaining, has stood out. We all knew he was going to shoot, and he scored. Besides, he won the Euro Cup and the Hungarian Championship with Szolnok, and was the team's best player in both competitions.
5. Marko Bijac (CRO)
Croatian National Player | Clubs: Pro Recco / Olympiacos | Position: Goalkeeper
Bijac won the Champions League with Pro Recco, having a very good performance at the Final 8 in Belgrade. He finished in only 5th place with Croatia in Tokyo. A goalkeeper's performance depends on his teammates a lot, but they weren't Bijac's best allies at the Olympic Games. He was the best player in Croatia's victory over the later champion Serbia in the group stage.
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