A ranked list of 10 of the best male water polo players at the moment

A ranked list of 10 of the best male water polo players at the moment

Kevin Omuya
June 6, 2024 at 9:22 PM
In this article:
Serbia logo
Serbia
Serbia
26
Great Olympics logo
Great Olympics
Ghana
20

Men's water polo is an exciting and energetic team sport played in a pool. The game incorporates wrestling, basketball, and soccer aspects, making it thrilling and challenging. Since its inclusion in the Olympic Games in 1900, it has become one of the world's most storied team sports. This article lists some of the best male water polo players.

Male water polo players
Branislav Mitrovic (L) of Team Serbia during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on August 04, 2021, and Dusko Pijetlovic on August 6, 2021. Photo: Laurence Griffiths, Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Source: UGC

Table of Сontents:

Water polo requires strength, planning, and endurance, so athletes who excel at it consistently rank among the best in the world. Many male water polo players have stepped up in the past few years, showing their amazing speed, dedication, and skill.

Male water polo players

The selection of the best players is subjective and based on recent performance statistics, expert opinions, and individual achievements. We rank the world's top ten most accomplished and well-known male water polo players and their profiles.

Player

Nationality

Current team

Filip Filipovic

Serbian

Novi Beograd

Nikola Jakšić

Serbian

Novi Beograd

Angelos Vlachopoulos

Greek

Novi Beograd

Stylianos Argyropoulos

Greek

Ferencváros

Aleksandar Ivovic

Montenegrin

Pro Recco

member

Serbian

Novi Beograd

Krisztian Manhercz

Hungarian

Marseille

Dušan Mandić

Serbian

Ferencváros

Alvaro Granados

Spanish

Novi Beograd

Branislav Mitrovic

Serbian

Vasas

10. Filip Filipović

Serbia's Filip Filipovic
Serbia's Filip Filipovic celebrates winning the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games men's water polo semi-final match against Spain on August 6, 2021. Photo: Martin Bernetti
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: May 2, 1987
  • Place of birth: Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
  • Age: 37 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Serbian
  • Height: 1.96 (6'5")
  • Weight: 101kg (223lbs)
  • Current club: Novi Beograd

Filip Filipović is one of the greatest water polo players. He has played for VK Novi Beograd of Serbia and Pro Recco of Italy. According to the Global Sports Archive, the Serbian athlete won three Italian LEN Champions League championships with Pro Recco.

9. Nikola Jakšić

Serbia's Nikola Jaksic
Nikola Jaksic of Serbia during the World Aquatics Championships 2023 Men's crossover match between Japan and Serbia on July 23, 2023, in Fukuoka, Japan. Photo: Albert ten Hov
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: January 17, 1997
  • Place of birth: Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia
  • Age: 27 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Serbian
  • Height: 1.96m (6'5")
  • Weight: 105kg (231lbs)
  • Current club: VK Novi Beograd

Nikola Jakšić ranks among the world's top defenders for his outstanding defensive play. He helped Serbia qualify for the 2023 World Cup by contributing to their victory at the 2023 World Championships, where they finished in fourth position.

8. Angelos Vlachopoulos

Angelos Vlachopoulos during the 2021 Men's Preliminary Round Group A match
Angelos Vlachopoulos of Team Greece during the Men's Preliminary Round Group A match against Hungary on July 25, 2021. Photo: Leon Neal
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: September 28, 1991
  • Place of birth: Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Age: 32 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Greek
  • Height: 1.59m (5'10")
  • Weight: 75kg (165lbs)
  • Current club: VK Novi Beograd

The Greek water polo star has wildly succeeded on the club and national stages. According to reports, Angelos Vlachopoulos missed the 2021 World Championships because of personal matters.

7. Stylianos Argyropoulos

Stylianos Argyropoulos at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships
Stylianos Argyropoulos of Greece during the World Aquatics Championships 2023 men's match against Australia on July 17, 2023. Photo: Albert ten Hove
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: August 2, 1996
  • Place of birth: Athens, Greece
  • Age: 27 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Greek
  • Height: 1.9m (6'3")
  • Weight: 105kg (231lbs)
  • Current club: Ferencváros

Stylianos Argyropoulos, whose name is Stelios Argyropoulos-Kanakakis, is a highly accomplished Greek water polo player. He began his professional career with the storied Ethnikos Piraeus team and is still very much involved with his current club, Ferencvárosi TC, and the Greek national team.

6. Aleksandar Ivovic

Aleksandar Ivovic of Montenegro
Aleksandar Ivovic of Montenegro during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Waterpolo Tournament Men's Classification 7th-8th match against Italy on August 8, 2021. Photo: Marcel ter Bals
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: February 24, 1986
  • Place of birth: Herceg Novi, SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia
  • Age: 38 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Montenegrin
  • Height: 1.98m (6'6")
  • Weight: 105kg (205lbs)
  • Current club: Pro Recco

Aleksandar Ivović is a prominent Serbian water polo player renowned for his contributions to the sport. Many consider Ivović among the top water polo players ever. According to World Aquatics, the athlete has bagged multiple gold medals in events, such as the FINA World League, European Championships, and World Championships.

5. Duško Pijetlović

Dusko Pijetlovic
Serbian Dusko Pijetlovic celebrates after scoring a penalty during the match against Spain on 28th July 2018. Photo: Urbanandsport
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: April 25, 1985
  • Place of birth: Novi Sad, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
  • Age: 39 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Serbian
  • Height: 1.97m (6'6")
  • Weight: 99kg (218lbs)
  • Current club: Novi Beograd

Pijetlović has been an indispensable member of the Serbian national team. He plays centre forward for one of the best male water polo clubs, VK Novi Beograd. The athlete has won multiple world championships, and in 2015, he bagged the European Player of the Year and World Championship MVP.

4. Krisztian Manhercz

Krisztian Manhercz of Hungary
Krisztian Manhercz of Hungary during the World Aquatics Championships 2023 Men's Water Polo Gold Medal match against Greece on July 29, 2023. Photo: Albert ten Hove
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: February 6, 1997
  • Place of birth: Budapest, Hungary
  • Age: 27 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Hungarian
  • Height: 1.91m (6'1")
  • Weight: 91kg (201kgs)
  • Current club: Marseille

Hungarian water polo player Krisztián Manhercz is a winger for the Hungarian national team. Manhercz is an integral part of Hungary's national squad and has helped them win big international events time and time again. His strong passing and wing-scoring prowess have made him famous.

3. Dušan Mandić

Dusan Mandik
Serbia's Dusan Mandic celebrates after defeating Croatia in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games water polo final match on August 20, 2016. Gabriel Bouys
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: June 16, 1994
  • Place of birth: Kotor, Montenegro, FR Yugoslavia
  • Age: 29 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Serbian
  • Height: 2.02kg (6'8")
  • Weight: 105kg (231lbs)
  • Current club: Ferencváros

This Serbian international has won multiple awards, ranking him among the best water polo athletes. He won his first gold medal with the Serbia national team at the Junior Water Polo Championship in 2011 at 17. The Olympic Committee named him the 2012 Young Athlete of the Year.

2. Alvaro Granados

Alvaro Granados
Alvaro Granados Ortega of Spain celebrates during the World Aquatics Championships 2023 men's match against Serbia on July 17, 2023, in Fukuoka, Japan. Photo: Albert ten Hove
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: October 8, 1998
  • Place of birth: Terrassa, Spain
  • Age: 25 years old as of 2023
  • Nationality: Spanish
  • Height: 1.92m (6'4")
  • Weight: 85kg (190lbs)
  • Current club: Novi Beograd

Many recognise Alvaro Granados for his title as European Champion. He helped Spain win the 2024 European Water Polo Championship and won the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Granados was also a member of the national swimming team and helped them win medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He is regarded as one of the best male water polo players.

1. Branislav Mitrovic

Branislav Mitrovic of Serbia
Branislav Mitrovic of Serbia during the Men's European Water Polo Championship quarter final match against Hungary on January 12, 2024. Photo: Luka Stanzl
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: January 30, 1985
  • Place of birth: Novi Sad, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
  • Age: 39 years old as of 2024
  • Nationality: Serbian
  • Height: 2.01m (6'7")
  • Weight: 100kg (220lbs)
  • Current club: Vasas

The Serbian water polo player Branislav Mitrović has retired after a career in goalkeeping. He won the gold medal with Serbia in the 2016 Summer Olympics and again in 2020. Along with Serbia in 2012, he won the European Championship. The goalkeeper is among the most famous male water polo players ever.

Frequently asked questions

Water polo is a popular sport in many countries. Players should be strong, fast, skilled and have a lot of stamina. We feature some common questions about the sport.

How many water polo players are there in Australia?

Across Australia, more than 100 clubs and 18,000 individual registered Water Polo players exist.

What body type do you need for water polo?

Most women's college water polo players are 5'7” and taller, with a wingspan that extends further than their height. Athletes with this body type benefit from various advantages that allow them to block shots, steal the ball, shoot, and swim.

Many places now play water polo, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and many European countries, like Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, and Romania.

Who is the best women's water polo player?

Simone van de Kraats, a Dutch left-hander, scored 28 goals at the 2020 Summer Olympics. This was the most goals ever scored by a female water polo player in an Olympic event.

What is the most famous water polo match in history?

At the 1956 Summer Olympics, a water polo match would go down in history as the Blood in the Water contest. After a brutal and bloody duel, the Soviet Union and Hungary decided to call off the match, and Hungary was declared the winner.

Who is the famous girl water polo player?

Brenda Villa is a star water polo player from the United States. She has more medals than any other female water polo player in history.

Final word

Water polo is a thrilling sport for men that tests your speed, planning, and ability to work with others. It is worth exploring because the game is fun and famous worldwide.

READ ALSO: How many players are there in a water polo team? Everything you need to know about the sport

Sports Brief published an article on Water polo, an exciting game combining elements of football, basketball, and hockey in an aquatic environment. A water polo team typically consists of seven players in the water at a time (six outfield athletes and a goalie). Dive into the article by clicking the link above.

Authors
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Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.