The 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship sets the stage for an unprecedented showcase of emerging talent, with the “Best Young Player Award” Presented by LIDL at its centre. Reserved for the top Under-21 competitors, this puts the spotlight on young excellence. 

After the preliminary round of the competition, the experts in the Commission of Coaches and Methods at the IHF have selected 12 players which will be shortlisted for this award. The winner will be included in the All-Star team of the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship.

 

Julie Scaglione – Denmark

The 21-year-old left back made her senior debut in 2022 and quickly became integral to Denmark's success, being part of the team which secured the bronze medal at the 2023 IHF Women's World Championship. Her influence was already visible at youth level, where was named the All-Star left back at the 2022 IHF Women's Youth World Championship. 

Playing for Ikast Håndbold, Scaglione is a mainstay a new generation of Danish talent, following in her mother Lone Mathiesen's footsteps, who won the 1997 IHF Women's World Championship. At Germany/Netherlands 2025, Scaglione became more and more important to Denmark’s attack, registering 13 goals and nine assists in the first three matches in the competition.

 

Lyndie Tchaptchet – Spain

Her sister Lysa, four years her senior, played in the same position for Spain, but now it is time for 20-year-old Lyndie to take the court for the Spain national team at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship. A two-time Spanish league champion with Super Amara Bera Bera, she has been named the league's best line player three consecutive times.

A mainstay in defence, Tchaptchet has scored three goals and had two penalties awarded throughout the preliminary round, and will probably be a part of Spain’s “Proyecto 2029”, where Spain will host again the IHF Women’s World Championship in four years’ time.

 

Nina Dury – France

At 21, she captained France's junior squad to victory at the 2024 IHF Women's Junior World Championship and her senior debut quickly followed, in March 2025 against Germany. 

Germany/Netherlands 2025 represents her first major international tournament with the senior team. Dury's combination of speed, shooting precision and defence-first mentality marks her as one of French handball's brightest prospects and she delivered a good start of the competition, with eight goals in the first three matches.

 

Nieke Kühne – Germany

The HSG Blomberg-Lippe left back represented Germany across all youth age categories, and made her senior national team debut in 2024, accelerating her pathway towards greatness. Germany/Netherlands 2025 marks her maiden World Championship appearance. 

Operating at the left back position, Kühne brings plenty of firepower and scored 13 goals in the preliminary round, including seven against Uruguay and five against Iceland. She has spent roughly one half on the court against Serbia, Paraguay and Iceland, being trusted by coach Markus Gaugisch.

 

Viola Leuchter – Germany

The 21-year-old right back earned the Best Young Player award Presented by LIDL at the 2023 IHF Women's World Championship, but saw her campaign in that competition ending early due to a knee injury. In just a few months’ time, Leuchter came back and took part at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and at the EHF EURO 2024.

By the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship preliminary round, Leuchter had accumulated 112 goals across 45 matches for Germany's senior team. At Germany/Netherlands 2025, Leuchter is already a starter and a key player for Germany, scoring eight goals in her first three matches.

 

Petra Simon – Hungary

Named the 2024 IHF Young Female Player of the Year, Simon previously claimed the title of Hungary's best young female player in 2022 and 2023. At the EHF EURO 2024, she earned Best Young Player Presented by LIDL honours while Hungary secured the bronze medal. 

Despite debuting in the senior squad only in 2023, she has already scored over 150 goals and this is her second World Championship, where Simon has already made her mark, scoring eight goals and offering 14 assists in her first three matches.

 

Elín Klara Thorkelsdóttir – Iceland

At 21, the centre back has represented her nation across all youth categories, competing at multiple IHF Junior and Youth World Championships. She made her senior debut in 2022 and appeared at the 2023 IHF Women's World Championship, providing valuable international experience before Germany/Netherlands 2025. 

The diminutive centre back, who is only 1,69m, has scored 12 goals in the preliminary round, being the fulcrum of the Nordic side’s attack.

 

Alieke van Maurik – Netherlands

Part of the new wave of Dutch athletes, Alieke van Maurik, was a member of the Netherlands team finishing fourth at the 2022 IHF Women's Youth World Championship. At only 20 years old, the right back is now making her debut at the IHF Women’s World Championship, where she has been trusted on her position, playing as Dione Housheer’s understudy.

So far, van Maurik has scored five goals in the preliminary round, but she will be relied upon in the next matches, as the Netherlands are aiming for a medal in the competition they co-host.

Alisia Boiciuc – Romania

Alisia Boiciuc, 20, captained Romania's Under-19 squad to bronze at the W19 EHF EURO 2023 and went on to make the senior national team debut in the same year. Since then, she has since become a mainstay, playing both in attack and defence, a complete dual-threat player.

Germany/Netherlands 2025 marks her World Championship debut and brings physical presence, tactical awareness and shooting precision to Romania's attacking structure. The 20-year-old back scored five goals and dished four assists in the first three matches of the preliminary round for her national team.

 

Thea Kylberg – Sweden

Kylberg, 21, made her senior national team debut in 2025, making this World Championship her competitive international baptism. The right back represented Sweden across all younger age categories, accumulating substantial developmental experience. 

Playing for Ikast Håndbold in Denmark, Kylberg became a sollution for the right back position and scored five goals in the preliminary round, representing Sweden’s future in the competition.

 

Mia Emmenegger – Switzerland

Already possessing two senior EHF EURO appearances (2022, 2024), she has scored over 230 goals for Switzerland's senior team since debuting at just 17 years old. Emmenegger is part of the Switzerland team making their World Championship debut, and brings plenty of experience, featuring for Danish side Team Esbjerg.

In the preliminary round, Emmenegger, who represented her team in the younger age categories before making her debut in the senior team, scored 11 times.

 

Era Baumann – Switzerland

Aged only 18, Baumann is one of the youngest players at Germany/Netherlands 2025. The left wing made her senior Switzerland debut in 2024 at just 16 years old, an extraordinary early introduction to international football. Immediately contributing at elite levels, Baumann earned All-Star left wing recognition at the 2024 IHF Women's Youth World Championship, confirming exceptional technical ability. 

At the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, Baumann looked perfectly at ease, being one of Switzerland’s top scorers, with 11 goals in the preliminary round, announcing herself as one of the best players on her position.