The newly-introduced EHF Excellence Awards will honour the best players in each position on the court, plus the best defender, in both men’s and women’s handball for the previous season.

The players which were selected in the final ballot were shortlisted for it via several criteria. First, the performances in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League, where a team of the round was named at the end of each week, with the top three players from each position who have received the most nominations by the end of the quarter-finals making the list.

For the EHF EURO 2024 Qualifiers, players which made significant contributions where also nominated, while additional players who performed in the EHF European League also got themselves on the shortlist.

Players, coaches, selected media as well as fans are eligible to participate with each group’s votes accounting for 25% of the overall result for every position. The vote for the female players will run from 26 May to 5 June. You can vote for your favourite via the “Home of Handball” app.

The EHF Excellence Awards Gala Night, where the winners will be named, will take place on 26 June 2023 in Vienna.

But who are the nominees for the best goalkeeper and the best defender at the EHF Excellence Awards 2023?

Let’s take a look!