To shine in your maiden edition of the IHF Women’s World Championship aged only 19 years old and secure the Best Young Player award and be included in the All-Star team can be considered as a dream debut.

When that debut is overshadowed by a major knee injury, only to come back even stronger in record time, be present at your first Olympic Games edition and then snatch another Best Young Player Presented by LIDL award at the next edition of the IHF Women’s World Championship, is even a better scenario.

And now, Viola Leuchter has completed yet another milestone, being named the IHF Young Female World Player of the Year in 2025, just two months after clinching the silver medal at Germany/Netherlands 2025, her maiden place on the podium with Germany in a major international competition.

“I didn’t really expect it to happen. It was a pretty chaotic year for me. So yeah, it was just nice that everything worked out like this. And of course, I’m so thankful for my family, friends, teammates, coaches - everyone who helped me during this hard time and along this journey so far,” says Leuchter.

The 21-year-old right back has shined at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, being the starter on her position in Germany’s squad, which secured their best performance in the competition since 1993, when they won their last title.

Leuchter was incredible at times for Germany, slotting into the line-up perfectly and scoring 28 goals, dishing nine assists, drawing three suspensions and intercepting five balls.

 

"Never a question not to try"

Her progress was even more impressive due to the fact that the last years have been turbulent, starting with a devastating knee injury, sustained in the last match of the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, in the 26:30 loss against the Netherlands in the Placement Match 5/6.

However, in only six months, she came back and was in the 14-player squad named by coach Markus Gaugisch for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Germany conceded a loss in the quarter-final against hosts France.

“I think it was never really a question not to try. I don’t know anything but handball. It’s my life and my passion. I just love being part of a team. Of course, the Olympics came with a bit of a question mark, but it helped me to have that goal and motivation during my rehab, something to look forward to. And yeah, it’s just nice how things turned out. There’s a lot to look forward to in the future as well,” says the Germany right back.

However, the right back slotted right in the team, as over three years she became the top pick on her position, as her performances were more and more impressive. It also helped that great role models, like Emily Vogel, Antje Döll or Xenia Smits were in the squad.

“But I think the German team made it really easy for me. They are really nice people. I remember the first time I was there - of course you’re a little starstruck when you only know them from television. And then you realize they’re just normal people, and they’re all really nice. I think it went quickly to feel like I belonged. We all get along very well in the team. And later, I also played with a lot of the girls at club level. Over the past three years, we really grew together as a team. I think that’s one of the key reasons why we were so successful in this tournament,” says the 2025 IHF Young Female Player of the Year. 

But then, Leuchter went through another hard time, as the German champions, HB Ludwigsburg, the team she played for one season, folded due to financial difficulties. It was already summer and the right back faced a race agains time to find another club, as the IHF Women’s World Championship was fast approaching.

For better or for worse, Leuchter was snapped up by Danish champions Odense Håndbold, a team which gave her a chance to shine, albeit in a different environment, as the right back featured for a team outside of Germany for the first time.

 

"The circumstances were brutal"

“The circumstances under which I came here were pretty brutal. When Ludwigsburg went bankrupt, it was one week and then I moved here. I wasn’t prepared at all. But I’m very thankful to Odense that I got this chance. Everyone here has been really welcoming and nice. Of course, it’s a different language and a different country, so you need time to adapt and settle. But now I would say I’ve settled in. I really like it here. I like playing here, and I like the ambitions of the club and the team. We have a lot to look forward to in the future,” says Leuchter.

Doubts have creeped in and a player with a limited amount of experience was once again put in a situation where she needed to make a choice fast in order to give herself the best chances of succeeding.

“I didn’t really know how to overcome it. I felt really good in Ludwigsburg. I didn’t plan to leave at all. It was a crazy period. We were so close as a team, and it felt like that was the place where I wanted to stay longer. So it was tough. But we had the World Championship ahead of us, and it was about finding a new solution, adapting, letting go, and moving on. I think I found the best solution with Odense, and I’m really thankful it worked out,” adds the right back.

In her maiden season at Odense, Leuchter has already scored 42 goals in the EHF Champions League Women, and 38 in the Danish league, establishing herself as one of the top players of the squad.

But with so many wild cards thrown at her until 21 years old, the knee injury, finding a new club in such a short space of time before the start of the new season, Leuchter has thrived and provided some food for thought for every up-and-coming player in the handball world.

Believe in yourself, work hard and the results will come.

“There are moments when you doubt yourself. But I think the most important thing is to accept that it’s hard sometimes and that everyone has struggles. It’s normal. Sometimes it helps to reflect and ask yourself: Why am I struggling? What could help me at this time? For me, I found out that it helps most when I’m active about it, when I talk to people, ask for a second opinion, or just do something instead of staying in my own thoughts and stressing about it. It’s normal. Everyone has troubles. Sometimes they’re bigger, sometimes smaller, but it’s about how you deal with them. You find your own way of what works best for you,” says Leuchter.

 

"Hands up for more"

But she navigated those tough moments with ease, proved resilience and now is here, dominating. In the run-up to become the 2025 IHF Young Female Player of the Year, Leuchter was the top choice for the all the three categories, with a 44% share in the coaches’ voting and a 37,5% share of the votes in the fans’ category, with a well-balanced share between the three nominees, while Julie Scaglione finishing second and Nina Dury third. The German right back was also the pick of the IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods (CCM).

“It’s not that I strive to win personal awards. In handball, it’s the team titles that matter most. But of course, it’s motivation to keep going,” says Leuchter.

Another motivation is to make women’s handball even more popular in Germany. A milestone has been achieved at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, where they played at home in Stuttgart and Dortmund before facing France and Norway in Rotterdam.

But the interest was huge – with sold out arenas, as well as record numbers of TV viewership for the competition, which ran under the “Hands up for More” motto, creating a safe environment for girls and women to try to play handball and be closer to the sport in any capacity.

“I’m so happy about this World Championship. It was such a great time. I’m so thankful to all the people who helped create this great tournament. For a long time, we talked about wanting to put the spotlight on women’s handball - that it’s much more than just a World Championship or just handball. It was about equality, about women’s handball getting the stage it deserves. It was amazing to see how it turned out - that the arenas were really full, that girls and also boys came up to us and said it’s cool what we’re doing and that they want to start playing handball too. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about: inspiring the next generation and increasing visibility for our sport. I’m really, really happy that I could be part of that,” says Leuchter.