Following his recognition as the 2025 World Aquatics Male Water Polo Player of the Year, Spain’s Alvaro Granados has been named the 2025 European Aquatics Men’s Water Polo Athlete of the Year. Granados played a central role in Spain’s triumphs at both the World Cup and the World Championships, earning MVP honours at the latter.
Granados enjoyed another stellar year with the Spanish national team, overcoming setbacks from the previous summer. Despite leading Spain to their first European title in 2024, the team had exited the Paris Olympics in the quarter-finals, a disappointment that weighed heavily on the squad.
“Looking back at 2025, the first thing that comes to my mind is how hard it was for us to overcome the terrible loss at the Paris Olympics in the quarterfinals,” Granados told European Aquatics after receiving the award. “It was a challenge for all of us, the players and the staff members, but we managed to settle everything among ourselves and get ready for a new chapter.”
Granados also returned to his former club, Barceloneta, after his contract with Italian side Recco was voided due to financial difficulties. Yet he maintained top form, guiding Spain to a World Cup triumph and a gold-medal performance at the World Championships in Singapore.
At the World Cup Division One tournament in Otopeni, Granados dominated the final, dismantling Hungary’s defence by scoring eight goals. He carried this momentum into the World Cup Finals in Podgorica, where Spain defeated Germany, Croatia, and Greece to claim gold, with Granados contributing six, seven, and four goals respectively.
At club level, Granados helped Barceloneta sweep all domestic titles and reach the Champions League Final Four. A shootout loss to Novi Beograd prevented a rematch with FTC in the final, marking their only defeat in regular time throughout the season.
Granados’ standout performances continued in Singapore at the World Championships, where Spain won all their matches to reclaim the world title. Once again, he excelled in the final against Hungary, scoring five goals and earning the MVP Award of the Championships.
“What we achieved together last year cannot make me prouder,” Granados said. “Our World Cup journey was already fantastic, then came the World Championships and the way we performed there. I should say it was simply a perfect end to a brilliant season, both for the team and for me personally.”
Granados’ 2025 season highlighted his scoring ability, tactical intelligence, and leadership. Across national team and club competitions, he consistently delivered in crucial moments, demonstrating why he is recognised as one of the top water polo players in the world.
His achievements also underline Spain’s continued rise as a global water polo power. Granados’ capacity to combine technical skill with mental resilience and scoring precision played a decisive role in Spain’s successes across multiple tournaments, reinforcing his status as a key figure in the sport for both his country and European water polo.
The European Aquatics Athlete of the Year Award adds to Granados’ growing list of individual accolades and reflects a year in which he not only helped his teams win major titles but also elevated the level of the sport with his performances.