Three stars who are set to light up next Easter’s Euro Hockey League FINALS in Den Bosch have been included on the FIH Stars shortlists announced this morning.
SCHC’s Xan de Waard, Gantoise’s Alix Gerniers and Old Georgians’ James Mazarelo have all been nominated following their performances on the international stage in 2025.
For de Waard and Gerniers, they are both on the women’s player of the year shortlist along with China’s Li Hong.
Mazarelo, meanwhile, is on the men’s goalkeeper of the year shortlist following his heroics with OGs at the EHL KO16 in Barcelona. He is up against Germany’s Jean-Paul Danneberg and Argentina’s Tomás Santiago for this award.
The list of nominees was also released for the men’s player of the year and women’s goalkeeper of the year with Den Bosch’s Thierry Brinkman, AH&BC Amsterdam’s Anne Veenendaal and Royal Léopold’s Tom Boon, one of the EHL’s all-time top goalscorers.
The shortlists were established by an Expert Panel composed of players, coaches and tv commentators selected by the FIH.
The expert panel was provided access to match data from all international matches held in 2025, including Test Matches, Continental Championships, FIH Hockey Pro League, FIH Hockey Nations Cups and the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 before establishing the final list of nominees.
The voting process is now open! National Associations – represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches -, fans, players, coaches, officials and media can register their vote until 16 November.
Fans can cast their votes here.
FIH Player of the Year Award – Nominees:
Women: Xan de Waard (NED), Alix Gerniers (BEL), Li Hong (CHN)
Men: Tom Boon (BEL), Nicolás Della Torre (ARG), Thierry Brinkman (NED)
FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award – Nominees:
Women: Anne Veenendaal (NED), Liu Ping (CHN), Grace O’Hanlon (NZL)
Men: James Mazarelo (ENG), Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER), Tomás Santiago (ARG)
