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Nikola Karabatic is Nexe World Handball Player of the Decade!

By Editor

Posted on 25. December 2020.

Handball-Planet.com is proud to present the final result of our 10 years Project which was concluded by the Jury consisted of 21 TOP coaches, handball legends and journalists from various part of the World.

Nikola Karabatic is the NEXE WORLD HANDBALL PLAYER OF THE DECADE!

The 36-years old back-line player of the French national team and PSG Handball made a lot success during 10-years time in which his teams were among the best in the world of handball. One of the iconic faces of our sport has won all major titles in French t-shirt in period 2010-2019. He was a member of the golden French team at World Championships 2011, 2015 and 2017, but also Olympic Games in London 2012 and EHF EURO 2010 and 2014.

Nikola was voted for MVP player at Men’s EHF EURO 2014 (first time in 2008), but also Men’s IHF World Championships 2011 and 2017.

The superstar born in Serbian city of Nis was named for the best player of the French League in 2010, 2013 and 2017.

With his team FC Barcelona, Karabatic won IHF Super Globe in 2013 and 2014. He was the first star of the Spanish team who won Men’s EHF Champions League in 2015.

Karabatic was named for Handball-Planet World Handball of the Years 2014 and 2015. He was also IHF World Handball Player 2014 and 2016.

MEMBERS OF JURY

COACHES: Martin Schwalb (Germany), Dagur Sigurdsson (Iceland), Antonio Carlos Ortega (Spain), Uros Zorman (Slovenia), Marcin Lijewski (Poland), Thierry Anti (France) and Veselin Vujovic (Serbia)

LEGENDS: Dragan Skrbic (Serbia), Enric Masip (Spain), Stefan Kretzschmar (Germany), Serhei Rutenka (Belarus), Bertrand Gille (France) and Lars Kristiansen

JOURNALISTS: Hernan Lorenzi (Argentina), Yann Hildwein (France), Zika Bogdanovic (Serbia), Jorge Dargel (Spain), Stig Nygard (Norway), Sergei Prigolovkin (Russia) and Bjorn Pazen (Germany)

VOTING PROCESS

Every member of the Jury made two BEST 8 teams – first line-up and 2nd best line-up from nominated players.

Players from the first line-up will get 2 points, while MVP will get 3. Players from the second-line up will get 1 point each.

Players with the highest number of votes will become the member of BEST 8 of World Handball Decade 2011-2020. The one with the biggest number of votes will become as WORLD HANDBALL PLAYER of the Decade.

Favorites of the fans (87.829 votes in total) got 3,2 and 1 point per position. Player with the biggest number of votes got 5 points (Domagoj Duvnjak).

HANDBALL PLAYER OF THE DECADE

10 of 21 Jury members have choosen Nikola Karabatic for World Handball Player of the Decade among four other players who have been supported. Mikkel Hansen has been a choice of four Jury members, while Domagoj Duvnjak has three votes. Thierry Omeyer and Arpad Sterbik has got 2 votes each.

In total number of points, Nikola Karabatic with 50 is ahead of Mikkel Hansen (48) and Kiril Lazarov (34). Defensive specialst Viran Morros (37) is out of competition as defensive player can’t be nominated for World Handball Player of the Decade.

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD LEFT WING OF DECADE

Uwe Gensheimer (Rhein Neckar Lowen – Germany) 29
Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson (Retired – Iceland) 25
Timur Dibirov (RK Vardar Skopje – Russia) 15

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD LEFT BACK OF DECADE
Mikkel Hansen (PSG Handball – Denmark) 48
Momir Ilic (Retired – Serbia) 13
Sander Sagosen (THW Kiel – Norway) 12

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD PLAYMAKER OF DECADE
Nikola Karabatic (PSG Handball – France) 50
Domagoj Duvnjak (THW Kiel – Croatia) 29
Andre Schmid (Rhein Neckar Lowen – Switzerland) 5

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD RIGHT BACK OF DECADE
Kiril Lazarov (HBC Nantes – North Macedonia) 34
Laszlo Nagy (Retired – Hungary) 25
Alex Dujshebaev (Lomza Vive Kielce – Spain) 10

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD RIGHT WING OF DECADE

Luc Abalo (Elverum Handball – France) 30
Lasse Svan Hansen (SG Flensburg Handewitt – Denmark) 20
Victor Tomas (Retired – Spain) 19

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD LINE-PLAYER OF DECADE

Julen Aguinagalde (Bidasoa Irun – Spain) 33
Bjarte Myrhol (Skjern Handbold – Norway) 25
Cedric Sorhaindo (Barca – France) 11

NEXE HANDBALL WORLD GOALKEEPER OF DECADE

Thierry Omeyer (Retired – France) 32
Arpad Sterbik (Retired  – Spain) 31
Niklas Landin (THW Kiel – Denmark) 10

NEXE HANDBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF DECADE
Viran Morros (PSG Handball – Spain) 37
Tobias Karlsson (Retired – Sweden)  26
Luka Karabatic (PSG Handball – France) 6

HANDBALL TEAM OF THE DECADE:

LEFT WING: Uwe Gensheimer (Rhein Neckar Lowen – Germany)
LEFT BACK: Mikkel Hansen (PSG Handball – Denmark)
PLAYMAKER: Nikola Karabatic (PSG Handball – France)
RIGHT BACK: Kiril Lazarov (HBC Nantes – North Macedonia)
RIGHT WING: Luc Abalo (Elverum Handball – France)
LINE PLAYER: Julen Aguinagalde (Bidasoa Irun – Spain)
GOALKEEPER: Thierry Omeyer (Retired – France)
DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST: Viran Morros (PSG Handball – Spain)

Here is the votes of the fans which have been added to existing votes of Jury. Players with the most votes got 3, second 2 and third 1 point. Domagoj Duvnjak got 5 as player with the biggest number of votes by the fans.

World Handball LEFT WING of the Decade?

Timur Dibirov (RK Vardar Skopje – Russia) (41%, 4,969 Votes)

Uwe Gensheimer (Rhein Neckar Lowen – Germany) (35%, 4,244 Votes)

Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson (Retired – Iceland) (24%, 2,954 Votes)

Total Voters: 12,167

World Handball LEFT BACK of the Decade?

Mikkel Hansen (PSG Handball – Denmark) (48%, 6,040 Votes)

Momir Ilic (Retired – Serbia) (28%, 3,460 Votes)

Sander Sagosen (THW Kiel – Norway) (24%, 2,964 Votes)

Total Voters: 12,464

World Handball PLAYMAKER of the Decade?

Domagoj Duvnjak (THW Kiel – Croatia) (59%, 10,061 Votes)

Nikola Karabatic (PSG Handball – France) (23%, 3,889 Votes)

Andre Schmid (Rhein Neckar Lowen – Switzerland) (18%, 3,163 Votes)

Total Voters: 17,113

World Handball RIGHT BACK of the Decade?

Kiril Lazarov (HBC Nantes – North Macedonia) (67%, 6,400 Votes)

Laszlo Nagy (Retired – Hungary) (23%, 2,179 Votes)

Alex Dujshebaev (Lomza Vive Kielce – Spain) (10%, 997 Votes)

Total Voters: 9,576

World Handball RIGHT WING of the Decade?

Luc Abalo (Elverum Handball – France) (44%, 3,812 Votes)

Lasse Svan Hansen (SG Flensburg Handewitt – Denmark) (35%, 3,086 Votes)

Victor Tomas (Barca – Spain) (21%, 1,797 Votes)

Total Voters: 8,695

World Handball GOALKEEPER of the Decade?

Arpad Sterbik (Retired – Spain) (39%, 3,912 Votes)

Niklas Landin (THW Kiel – Denmark) (38%, 3,790 Votes)

Thierry Omeyer (Retired – France) (23%, 2,245 Votes)

Total Voters: 9,947

World Handball LINE-PLAYER of the Decade?

Bjarte Myrhol (Skjern Handbold – Norway) (52%, 5,004 Votes)

Julen Aguinagalde (Bidasoa Irun – Spain) (36%, 3,520 Votes)

Cedric Sorhaindo (Barca – France) (12%, 1,168 Votes)

Total Voters: 9,692

World Handball DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST of the Decade?

Viran Morros (PSG Handball – Spain) (40%, 3,292 Votes)

Tobbias Karlsson (Retired – Sweden) (35%, 2,839 Votes)

Luka Karabatic (PSG Handball – France) (25%, 2,044 Votes)

Total Voters: 8,175

NEXE GRUPA – TITLE SPONSORS

Our friends from Nexe Grupa will be the title sponsor of the whole project. The successful Croatian company who is famous for investing in handball through RK Nexe Nasice, recognizes and supports our efforts.