Fotini Tricha has etched her name in global water polo history, being named World’s Best Female Water Polo Player for 2025 by World Aquatics. It is an individual honour of the highest level, yet one that powerfully reflects the collective excellence and resurgence of Greek women’s water polo on the world stage.
The award crowns a dream season for Greece, as the national team claimed gold at the World Championship in Singapore and followed it up with another gold medal at the World Cup in China, sealing a year that will be remembered as one of the greatest in the sport’s history for the country.
The season that defined the top
Fotini Tricha was a cornerstone of the “golden” Greek squad, playing a decisive role throughout the year. At the World Championship in Singapore, she finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 25 goals, leading Greece’s attack with consistency, composure and remarkable tactical awareness.
Her performance combined clinical finishing with intelligent movement and a deep understanding of team play, making her one of the most influential players of the competition and a key reason behind Greece’s return to the top of world water polo.
“The gold matters more than any individual award”
Despite the magnitude of the distinction, Tricha remained firmly grounded, stressing that team success is what truly counts. Speaking to World Aquatics, she underlined:
“The individual award doesn’t really matter. What matters to me is the gold medal. The goals are a result of the team system. Everyone passes the ball; when it comes to me, I just think about doing the right thing. If I have to shoot, I shoot. It’s a team effort and a product of the system.”
She went on to praise her teammates, calling them “exceptional,” and highlighted the level of competition at the tournament, noting that Greece “played very well, deserved the gold, and proved itself in a truly competitive championship.”
Greek dominance and global recognition
Greek presence was strongly felt throughout the World Aquatics awards. The captain of the national team, Eleftheria Plevritou, was also shortlisted for the World’s Best Female Water Polo Player award, confirming the depth and quality of the Greek squad.
Tricha’s achievement also evokes memories of 2011, when Greece last stood atop the world in women’s water polo and Alexandra Asimaki was named the world’s best player. Two landmark moments, fourteen years apart, that underline the enduring strength of Greek women’s water polo.
In the men’s category, Spain’s Alvaro Granados was named World’s Best Male Player for 2025, while Greece’s Stelios Argyropoulos – Kanakakis earned a place in the world’s top five, further highlighting Greece’s strong international footprint.
Eyes already on the next challenge
True to her team-first mentality, Fotini Tricha has already shifted her focus to the next major goal: the European Championship, which begins on January 28 in Madeira, Portugal. The objective remains unchanged — new distinctions and continued success for the national team.
With her recognition as the world’s best player, Fotini Tricha does more than add a personal accolade to her career. She stands as a symbol of a generation and a team that has brought Greek women’s water polo back to where it belongs: at the very top of the world.
