EHF Excellence Awards 2026: Men’s Team of the Season announced

With the final curtain come down on the 2025/26 European club handball campaign, the EHF is announcing the Teams of the Season. 

A day after the best female players were revealed, the EHF on Wednesday (24 June) announced the male Team of the Season.

The lineup includes four players from Machineseeker EHF Champions League winners Barça, three from runners-up Füchse Berlin, and one from SC Magdeburg. Also, Men’s EHF EURO 2026 champions Denmark find themselves represented four times.

For every position on the playing court — goalkeeper, left wing, left back, centre back, line player, right back, right wing, and defender — six players were nominated based on their performances in the 2025/26 season, both on club and national team and club level.

The Team of the Season is based on the voting of four stakeholder groups: fans, players, coaches and media, each accounting for 25 per cent of the vote.

Men’s Team of the Season 2025/26:
•    Goalkeeper:    Emil Nielsen (Denmark / Barça)
•    Left wing:    Tim Freihöfer (Germany / Füchse Berlin)
•    Left back:    Lasse Andersson (Denmark / Füchse Berlin)
•    Centre back:    Domen Makuc (Slovenia / Barça)
•    Line player:    Magnus Saugstrup (Denmark / SC Magdeburg)
•    Right back:    Mathias Gidsel (Denmark / Füchse Berlin)
•    Right wing:    Aleix Gómez (Spain / Barça)
•    Defender:    Ludovic Fabregas (France / Barça)

From the players named in the seven positions and the best defender, the season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) will be selected by the EHF.

The MVP and the young player of the 2025/26 season will be announced at the draw ceremony for the EHF Champions League group phase on Friday, 26 June at 11:00 CEST.