Estavana Polman
Former professional handball player
Estavana Polman is a Dutch former professional handball player and a 2019 world champion. She was named the most valuable player at that World Championship and spent much of her club career abroad, including title-winning years with Team Esbjerg. She announced her retirement from elite sport after the 2025–26 season. Polman is the longtime partner of former Netherlands footballer Rafael van der Vaart; they have a daughter, Jesslynn.
Estavana Polman photos
Photo credits
- Estavana Polman at a handball clinic. · Instagram @estavana ↗
- Estavana Polman in the family’s pregnancy-announcement photograph. · Instagram @estavana ↗
- Estavana Polman attending a wedding. · Instagram @estavana ↗
- Estavana Polman in her handball career. · EHF / photographer credited in source feature ↗
- Estavana Polman in her handball career. · kolektiff images / EHF · EHF / kolektiff images ↗
- Estavana Polman in her handball career. · kolektiff images / EHF · EHF / kolektiff images ↗
- Estavana Polman in her handball career. · Sabin Malisevschi / EHF · EHF / Sabin Malisevschi ↗
- Estavana Polman in her handball career. · kolektiff images / EHF · EHF / kolektiff images ↗
Career and background
Polman represented the Netherlands 207 times and won five medals at major international tournaments. Her achievements included the national team’s first world title in 2019, when she was also chosen as the tournament’s most valuable player. At club level she won three Danish championships with Esbjerg before later playing in Romania.Sources: NOS ↗ · International Handball Federation ↗
In April 2026 she said she would end her professional career after the season, having already finished her international career. In earlier interviews she had discussed fitting elite handball around parenthood and wanting to encourage young girls to play. Her official website combines that sporting history with her public family life.Sources: NOS ↗ · Estavana Polman ↗ · International Handball Federation ↗
Relationship history
Polman and Rafael van der Vaart celebrated ten years together in March 2026. Their daughter Jesslynn was born in June 2017. In August 2026 they announced that they were expecting another child. Van der Vaart’s son Damián is from his marriage to 
Sylvie Meis.
Relationship sources
- Rafael van der Vaart GALA / SpotOnNews ↗
Children
- NameJesslynnDate of birthOther parentRafael van der Vaart ↗