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Ferdinando Ge Giorgi, the Italian Men’s Volleyball Team, announced the 30 players that will participate in VNL 2023.
Opposites: Yuri Romano’, Fabrizio Gironi, Alessandro Bovolenta, Lorenzo Sala, Tommaso Guzzo
Middle blockers: Simone Anzani, Roberto Russo, Gianluca Galassi, Leandro Mosca, Giovanni Sanguinetti, Lorenzo Cortesia, Marco Vitelli, Edoardo Caneschi
Setters: Simone Giannelli, Riccardo Sbertoli, Paolo Porro, Marco Falaschi
Liberos: Fabio Balaso, Leonardo Scanferla, Filippo Federici, Alessandro Piccinelli, Damiano Catania
Outside hitters: Daniele Lavia, Alessandro Michieletto, Tommaso Rinaldi, Francesco Recine, Mattia Bottolo, Giulio Magalini, Davide Gardini, Oreste Cavuto
A look back on the past:
Over the past decade, Italy’s men’s national volleyball team has continued to make its mark in the world of volleyball, thanks to their dedication, skill, and resilience. Representing their country with pride, this team has earned their place as one of the most successful national teams in the history of the sport. Today, we take a closer look at their journey in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), World Championships, and Olympic Games in the past ten years.
World Championships:
The Italian men’s national volleyball team secured their fourth World Championship title in September 2022, a momentous victory that came 24 years after their last win in this prestigious tournament . Italy defeated co-hosts and two-time defending champions Poland in a thrilling 3-1 match. Despite losing the first set, Italy came back with a vengeance, showcasing their true grit and determination. This win solidifies Italy’s place as one of the top volleyball teams globally, with a total of four World Championships under their belt (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2022)
Olympic games:
Although Italy’s men’s national volleyball team has not secured an Olympic gold medal in the past decade, they have consistently proven to be strong contenders on the world stage. In the past 8 renditions of the tournament the lowest Italy has placed was the respectable 6th place, including 3 silver medals (US 1996, Greece 2004, Brazil 2016) and two bronze medals (Australia 2000, UK 2012)
VNL:
So far the Azzurri haven’t performed as successfully on the VNL stage. Consistently finishing in the middle of the pack means that the young Italian team will have to showcase their amazing performance in order to push to the top of the ladder.
Players to look out for:
Alessandro Michieletto is currently the star outside hitter for Itas Trentino volleyball club. He’s emerged as one of the most promising talents in the sport, making a notable impact in the past few years. Michieletto’s impressive debut at the VNL led to his inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics squad. This young phenom continued to shine in EuroVolleyM 2021, becoming a core member and key contributor to Italy’s European Championship win.
Simone Giannelli has proven himself to be a key member of Italy’s national team and Sir Safety Perugia club . Over the past decade, he has amassed numerous accolades, including a silver medal at the 2015 World Cup, bronze at the 2015 European Championship, and gold at both the 2021 Men’s European Volleyball Championship and the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. Giannelli’s extraordinary talent was on full display during the 2022 World Championship, where he was awarded the MVP title for his outstanding performance.
Yuri Romano is one of the players that will have to make himself seen. With the absence of the Italian superstar Ivan Zaytsev, Yuri will have big shoes to fill. Playing as an opposite for Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza Romano has swiftly made a name for himself on the international stage. Over the past several years, he has been a key member of Italy’s national volleyball team, contributing to their success in prestigious tournaments. Yuri Romano’s notable achievements include winning gold at both the 2021 European Championship and the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. As a rising star in Italian volleyball, Romano continues to impress with his outstanding skills and dedication to the sport.
