European Aquatics Athlete of the Year Awards 2025: women’s water polo nominees

At just 20 years of age, Foteini Tricha has already established herself as one of the brightest talents in women’s water polo and enjoyed a truly outstanding 2025.

Tricha was a central figure as Greece were crowned world champions in Singapore, finishing the tournament as top scorer with 25 goals and earning a place in the All-Star team.

Her remarkable tally included a spectacular hat-trick in the 12-9 final against Hungary, a performance that helped secure Greece’s first world title in more than a decade.

Earlier in the year, Tricha also played a decisive role at the World Cup in Chengdu, China, scoring four goals in the 15-13 semi-final win over the Netherlands as Greece went on to top the podium.

Tricha’s influence translated to club competition as well, as her early goal against FTC in the Champions League bronze medal game paved the way for Olympiacos to finish third at the Final Four in Athens.

Greece’s golden year on the international stage was built on their collective strength, so it’s no surprise three Greek players feature among the 2025 nominees after such a phenomenal season for the national team.

One of the cornerstones of that success was goalkeeper Ioanna Stamatopoulou, who delivered a standout performance in the gold medal match against Hungary at the World Championships in Singapore.

By restricting Hungary’s formidable attack to just nine goals from 23 shots on target, Stamatopoulou was a major reason behind the triumph and was later deservedly named Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.

Beyond her brilliance between the posts, the 27-year-old was also one of the most influential voices within the Greek camp after a difficult start to the competition that included an opening-day 10-9 defeat to Hungary.

Stamatopoulou played a key role in helping the squad regroup and respond with a stunning turnaround that culminated in the ultimate revenge against the same opponents in the final.

Another driving force behind Greece’s historic campaign was captain Eleftheria Plevritou, who enjoyed arguably the most successful season of her illustrious career.

In 2025, she lifted both the World Cup and World Championships trophies, beginning with a majestic performance in Chengdu, where her hat-trick in the final against Hungary set the tone for the months to follow.

Greece’s title-winning run at the World Championships was all the more impressive given the difficult path they had to navigate – overcoming Olympic silver medallists Australia in the quarters and three-time Olympic champions USA in the semis.

Plevritou’s influence extended to club level as well, where the 28-year-old was instrumental in FTC’s dramatic run to the Champions League Final Four in Athens, the club’s first appearance at that stage.

While FTC finished just outside the podium places, their presence was still one of the competition’s major talking points and provided a strong foundation for future success.

Hungary’s Rita Keszthelyi once again underlined her enduring quality at the highest level with another magnificent season.

Keszthelyi was named Most Valuable Player at the World Championships in Singapore, where she guided her nation to a second successive silver medal.

The Hungarian star was pivotal in the semis, producing a commanding hat-trick in a 15-9 victory over Olympic champions Spain to guarantee the Magyars a place on the podium.

Keszthelyi’s leadership and scoring prowess also earned her a place in the All-Star team, and she finished the tournament as joint fifth top scorer with 19 goals.

At club level, the 34-year-old was a key figure for Sabadell in the Champions League (before her summer move to FTC), scoring twice in the final against domestic rivals Sant Andreu.

Although Sabadell had to settle for silver, it was another prestigious addition to Keszthelyi’s glittering career.

Spain’s Nona Pérez further cemented her place among the sport’s elite in 2025, and is making a habit of standing on medal podiums for both club and country.

In May, Pérez achieved the highest possible club accolade by winning Champions League gold with Sant Andreu, producing a memorable hat-trick in the final against Sabadell to seal a historic victory.

It was a match-winning display from the 22-year-old and the highlight from a year of standout performances, with Pérez and Sant Andreu carrying on the momentum from that triumph into the new campaign.

At international level, Pérez was also part of Spain’s bronze-medal-winning squad at the World Championships in Singapore.

Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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