Ian Barrufet from MT Melsungen: Best young professional in Europe!

Ian Barrufet from MT Melsungen: Best young professional in Europe!

Melsungen, Deutschland - The handball has produced a new star: Ian Barrufet from MT Melsungen has just been awarded the best young player in Europe. This honor was awarded by the European Handball Association (EHF) and is clear proof of its outstanding talent and its achievements in recent months. The only 21-year-old plays on the position of the left wing and has prevailed among the young handball players up to 23 years, which represents a considerable performance.

born on May 19, 2004 in Teià, Barrufet took big steps at a young age. He made his debut on March 18, 2023 with the first team of FC Barcelona in Copa Asobal. During the 20222/2023 season, he prevailed in the Spanish league and expanded his contract with FC Barcelona until 2027. His loan for the MT Melsungen for the 2024/2025 season, in which he reached the Final Four in EHF European League and emerged as a top scorer of the league, with 90 goals in 18 games.

a talent with great potential

The success of Barrufet is not only limited to the national level. His impressive achievements also brought him participation in international competitions, including the EHF Champions League, where he made a name for himself with his skills. From the coming season, he will again appear for FC Barcelona, ​​which fans expect with excitement. The European Handball Association paid tribute to its achievements in all competitions, including the European League and Champions League, which contributed significantly to its award as the best young professional.

But who is the young Spaniard exactly? BARRUFET is not just a talented player; He also comes from a handball family. His father, David Barrufet, was also a prominent handball player. Ian entered his father's footsteps early and debuted in 2021 with the selection of promotions of the Spanish youth teams. Until his first nomination for the men's national team in January 2025, he was already active in 38 youth national team games and scored 94 goals. His balance sheet can be seen: Among other things, he won the gold medal at the Mediterranean games 2022 and was under European champion 2024.

The big picture in view

Handball offers exciting perspectives, and BARRUFET is one of those players who could mix up the Bundesliga and international tournaments. With his view of upcoming challenges at the EHF Champions League and his return to FC Barcelona, ​​the interest in this young talent is greater than ever.

In recent years, handball in Europe has produced a real talent smithy. In addition to Barrufet, Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanovic also emerged in the IHF men's World Cup 2025. It shows that replenishment of skills in many European countries is very popular. Kuzmanovic is one of the best goalkeepers with his performance and the numerous parades and strives for higher goals, which only increases the attractiveness of handball.

The next few years will promise a lot for the handball fans and the players themselves, with Ian Barrufet will participate in the front front to further illuminate the stage of European handball.

Read more about these developments: hessenschau.de , wikipedia , EHF .