Italy denies younger Bulgaria, defends FIVB world title

Yuri Romano rains down a tone-setting 5 straight aces in Set 2 as Italy runs away with a profitable protection of the FIVB Volleyball Males’s World Championship towards Aleks Nikolov-led Bulgaria

MANILA, Philippines – As soon as once more, Italy guidelines the volleyball world.

In a considerably anticipated end result, the battle-tested world No. 2 squad efficiently defended its FIVB Volleyball Males’s World Championship after blasting younger and rising Bulgaria in a rollercoaster 25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10 win at a packed Mall of Asia Area on Sunday, September 28.

This marks Italy’s fifth gold medal within the 76-year historical past of the World Championship — a feat that extends its lead over three-time champion Brazil because the winningest present program, whereas the previous Soviet Union nonetheless holds a six-gold unfold.

Yuri Romano, who set the successful tone with a staggering 5 straight aces that hiked a small 18-16 second-set result in 23-16, topscored the title-winning effort with 22 factors, as Italy sought revenge from a third-set slip-up with an early 9-3 surge within the fourth to grab full momentum.

Italian star Alessandro Michieletto captured the Most Worthwhile Participant award.

Event main scorer and phenom Aleks Nikolov led Bulgaria’s solely lack of the 2025 worlds with 23 factors, because the world No. 9 squad brings residence a still-historic silver — the nation’s first in 55 lengthy years.

In the meantime, world No. 1 Poland accomplished the rostrum with a four-set win over underdog Czech Republic, 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21. – Rappler.com