The coveted IHF World Player of the Year award return in full fledge, with four categories ready to find out their winners, after a transparent process of voting by the fans, coaches and the IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods members.

2023 marked the introduction of the IHF Young Male Player of the Year and the IHF Young Female Player of the Year, which underline the penchant for identifying and nurturing new talents. 

The fans have a say in the final standings of the IHF World Player of the Year awards, but the current formula sees an equal percentage of the final decision between three categories, for a better representation and a level-playing field for all the nominees. 

The fans will still have the power, as the votes casted will represent a third of the final standings. Another third will be reserved to the coaches who led their national teams at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods (CCM) will have the final third of the decision, with the awards being sealed by the player that has the best percentage throughout the three categories.

For all categories, three players have been shortlisted by the IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods (CCM), based on their performances in 2024, having impressed throughout the last year on the courts. The nominated players will be presented on a category-by-category basis.

For the 2024 IHF Male World Player of the Year, the nominees are Denmark’s right back Mathias Gidsel, Germany’s goalkeeper Andreas Wolff and Spain’s right back Alex Dujshebaev.

The voting will be open for the fans from Friday, 7 March, from 12:00 CET, to Monday, 24 March at 23:59 CET, therefore more than two weeks for the fans to vote for their favourites and help them win the prestigious award.

Mathias Gidsel (Denmark)

The 2023 IHF Male Player of the Year can become the second player in history to win back-to-back trophies after his former teammate, Niklas Landin, was named the IHF Male Player of the Year in 2019 and 2021, with the trophy not being awarded in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, Gidsel can ensure that this trophy goes to Denmark for the fifth edition in a row, after Mikkel Hansen clinched it in 2018.

The 26-year-old right back has been nothing short of superb in 2024, where he was the MVP and the top goal scorer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he had 62 goals for Denmark, the team which was unbeatable and secured the gold medal, the first in Gidsel’s cabinet. He was also the top assists provider, with 39 assists, underlining his importance in Denmark’s gameplan. At the EHF EURO 2024, Gidsel was also the All-Star right back and the joint top scorer, with 54 goals, with Denmark winning the silver medal.

Andreas Wolff (Germany)

The shotstopper, arguably the most consistent in the world over the last years, is nominated for the second consecutive year, after impressing yet again for Germany in 2024. Now 34, Wolff is still providing some excellent performances, both for club – he returned to THW Kiel last summer – and country.

At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Wolff made 66 saves, for a 31% saving efficiency, lifting Germany in crucial times to eventually secure a silver medal. At the EHF EURO 2024, Wolff was also excellent, making the All-Star team and saving 92 shots – the largest number in the competition – for a 34% saving efficiency.

Alex Dujshebaev (Spain)

His father, Talant, was the IHF Male Player of the Year in 1994 and 1996. But now in his prime, Alex, has become one of the most clutch players in handball, delivering fantastic performances time and time again. While Spain’s exited the EHF EURO 2024 quickly, after the preliminary round, they came back roaring.

Dujshebaev helped his side quaify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and there, in the final tournament, the right back was worth his weight in gold. While scoring 19 goals in the competition, Dujshebaev was the third best assists provider, with 33, helping his side navigate through thick and thin, emerging as a title contender, before losing in the semi-finals against Germany. Eventually, Dujshebaev secured his second Olympic medal, the bronze, after Spain finished third at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.