The EHF Excellence Awards is an annual handball awards ceremony held by the European Handball Federation. It was first held in 2023 in Vienna, Austria. The best players of the season on each position both on the men's and women's side are awarded, as well as Rookie of the season, Defender of the season, and MVP of the season. The ceremony also includes Beach Handball MVP's.
Players can be shortlisted by their performance in the EHF Champions League, EHF European League, EHF Euro, and the IHF World Championship. The winners are decided by voting from players, coaches, media representatives and fans, each group representing 25% of the votes.
Men's handball Position Season 2022/2023 Season 2023/2024 Season 2024/2025 Season 2025/2026 Left wing Timur Dibirov Emil Jakobsen Emil Jakobsen (2) Tim Freihöfer Left back Simon Pytlick Elohim Prandi Felix Claar (2) Lasse Andersson Centre back Luc Steins Felix Claar Gísli Þorgeir Kristjánsson Domen Makuc Right back Mathias Gidsel Dika Mem Mathias Gidsel (2) Mathias Gidsel (3) Right wing Hans Lindberg Hans Lindberg (2) Mario Šoštarić Aleix Gómez Line player Ludovic Fabregas Ludovic Fabregas (2) Ludovic Fabregas (3) Magnus Saugstrup Goalkeeper Niklas Landin Emil Nielsen Emil Nielsen (2) Emil Nielsen (3) Defender Thiagus Petrus Magnus Saugstrup Magnus Saugstrup (2) Ludovic Fabregas Young player of the season Domen Makuc Martim Costa Ian Barrufet Francisco Costa MVP Simon Pytlick Emil Nielsen Mathias Gidsel (3) Emil Nielsen (2)
Awards by country NationAwards Denmark 20 France 6 Portugal 2 Slovenia 2 Spain 2 Sweden 2 Brazil 1 Croatia 1 Germany 1 Iceland 1 Netherlands 1 Russia 1
Most awarded players PlayerAwards Emil Nielsen 5 Mathias Gidsel 4 Ludovic Fabregas 4 Magnus Saugstrup 3
Women's handball Position Season 2022/2023 Season 2023/2024 Season 2024/2025 Season 2025/2026 Left wing Emma Friis Chloé Valentini Chloé Valentini (2) Chloé Valentini (3) Left back Cristina Neagu Henny Reistad (2) Estelle Nze Minko Bruna de Paula Centre back Henny Reistad Stine Bredal Oftedal Henny Reistad (3) Henny Reistad (4) Right back Nora Mørk Ana Gros Anna Vyakhireva Dione Housheer Dione Housheer (2) Right wing Angela Malestein Viktória Győri-Lukács Viktória Győri-Lukács (2) Lucie Granier Line player Vilde Ingstad Sarah Bouktit Kari Brattset Dale Sarah Bouktit (2) Goalkeeper Katrine Lunde Sandra Toft Katrine Lunde (2) Johanna Bundsen Defender Kathrine Heindahl Line Haugsted Kari Brattset Dale (2) Kelly Dulfer Rookie Pauletta Foppa Petra Simon Mia Emmenegger Lylou Borg MVP Katrine Lunde Stine Bredal Oftedal Henny Reistad (4) Sarah Bouktit (3)
There was a complete tie in the voting results between the two players, and they both received the award.
Awards by country NationAwards Norway 14 France 10 Denmark 4 Netherlands 4 Hungary 3 Brazil 1 Romania 1 Russia 1 Slovenia 1 Sweden 1 Switzerland 1
Most awarded players PlayerAwards Henny Reistad 5 Katrine Lunde 3 Chloé Valentini 3 Sarah Bouktit 3
Beach handball Season Men's MVP Women's MVP 2022/23 Gabriel Conceição Asun Batista
References