Italy men's national volleyball team
The Italy men's national volleyball team represents the country in international competitions and friendly matches. The national team is controlled by the Italian Volleyball Federation, the governing body for Volleyball in Italy. It is one of the most successful national teams in the history of volleyball, having won four World Championships (1990, 1994, 1998 and 2022), seven European Championships, one World Cup (1995) and eight World League (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000). Italy is the reigning World champion, having won 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
Result history
editGolden Team
editIn 1989, Julio Velasco was hired to coach the Italian National Men's Team. He immediately led them to a gold medal at the European Championships in 1989, which his team won twice more in 1993 and 1995. The team also won a silver medal at the World Cup in 1989. He de-emphasized the specialization trend of the 1980s. He emphasized the concept of the “square”, team unity where the team was better than the sum of its players. He was meticulous, well prepared and very demanding, but he knew how to win. Starting at the 1990 World Championships and the 1990 Goodwill Games, the Italian National team swept the world volleyball events for five years. They won a gold medal in the World Championships in 1990 and 1994, the World League in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995, the 1991 Mediterranean Games, and the 1993 Grand Champions Cup. They won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. Julio Velasco left the Italian National Men's Team in 1996. Velasco in 1989-1996 created Golden Team with Players such as Zorzi, Andrea Gardini, Giani, Bernardi, Gravina, Bracci, Tofoli, Lucchetta, Papi, Pasinato and Meoni.[1]
Olympic Games
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Olympic Games record | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad | |
1964 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
1968 | |||||||||
1972 | |||||||||
1976 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 15 | Squad | |
1980 | 1st round | 9th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | Squad | |
1984 | Semifinals | Bronze | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 | Squad | |
1988 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 13 | Squad | |
1992 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 | Squad | |
1996 | Final | Silver | 8 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 5 | Squad | |
2000 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 8 | Squad | |
2004 | Final | Silver | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 11 | Squad | |
2008 | Semifinals | 4th | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 14 | Squad | |
2012 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 | Squad | |
2016 | Final | Silver | 8 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 10 | Squad | |
2020 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | Squad | |
2024 | Semifinals | 4th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 10 | Squad | |
2028 | Future events | ||||||||
2032 | |||||||||
Total | 0 titles | 13/16 | 90 | 58 | 32 | 194 | 135 | — |
World Championship
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Championship record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
1949 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | Squad |
1952 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1956 | 1st round | 14th | 10 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 14 | Squad |
1960 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1962 | 1st round | 14th | 11 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 23 | Squad |
1966 | 1st round | 16th | 11 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 31 | Squad |
1970 | 1st round | 15th | 11 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 28 | Squad |
1974 | 1st round | 19th | 11 | 7 | 4 | 24 | 14 | Squad |
1978 | Final | 2nd | 10 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 12 | Squad |
1982 | 1st round | 14th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 12 | Squad |
1986 | 2nd round | 11th | 8 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 18 | Squad |
1990 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
1994 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 6 | Squad |
1998 | Final | 1st | 12 | 11 | 1 | 33 | 7 | Squad |
2002 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 9 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 14 | Squad |
2006 | 2nd round | 5th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 13 | Squad |
2010 | Semifinals | 4th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 12 | Squad |
2014 | 2nd round | 13th | 9 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 22 | Squad |
2018 | 3rd round | 5th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 11 | Squad |
2022 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 4 | Squad |
2025 | Qualified | Squad | ||||||
Total | 4 titles | 19/21 | 169 | 107 | 62 | 376 | 257 | — |
World Cup
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Cup record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
1965 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1969 | ||||||||
1977 | ||||||||
1981 | - | 7th | 7 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 18 | Squad |
1985 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1989 | - | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 5 | Squad |
1991 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1995 | - | 1st | 11 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 3 | Squad |
1999 | - | 3rd | 11 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 14 | Squad |
2003 | - | 2nd | 11 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 8 | Squad |
2007 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2011 | - | 4th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 15 | Squad |
2015 | - | 2nd | 11 | 10 | 1 | 30 | 8 | Squad |
2019 | - | 7th | 11 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 19 | Squad |
2023 | Did not qualify | |||||||
Total | 1 title | 8/14 | 80 | 58 | 22 | 189 | 90 | - |
- 1995 — Gold medal
World Grand Champions Cup
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Grand Champions Cup record (Defunct) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
1993 | - | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 4 | Squad |
1997 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2001 | ||||||||
2005 | - | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
2009 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2013 | - | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 10 | Squad |
2017 | - | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 8 | Squad |
Total | 1 title | 4/7 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 52 | 28 | - |
World League
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World League record (Defunct) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
1990 | Final | 1st | 14 | 11 | 3 | 37 | 21 | Squad |
1991 | Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 52 | 16 | Squad |
1992 | Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 50 | 17 | Squad |
1993 | Semifinals | 3rd | 22 | 20 | 2 | 62 | 17 | Squad |
1994 | Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 38 | 19 | Squad |
1995 | Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 | Squad |
1996 | Final | 2nd | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 | Squad |
1997 | Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 47 | 17 | Squad |
1998 | Final Round | 4th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 26 | Squad |
1999 | Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 42 | 20 | Squad |
2000 | Final | 1st | 18 | 13 | 5 | 44 | 33 | Squad |
2001 | Final | 2nd | 17 | 12 | 5 | 41 | 24 | Squad |
2002 | Semifinals | 4th | 17 | 14 | 3 | 44 | 19 | Squad |
2003 | Semifinals | 3rd | 17 | 10 | 7 | 37 | 27 | Squad |
2004 | Final | 2nd | 15 | 9 | 6 | 34 | 22 | Squad |
2005 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 26 | Squad |
2006 | 2nd round | 6th | 16 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 31 | Squad |
2007 | 1st round | 9th | 12 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 30 | Squad |
2008 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 22 | Squad |
2009 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 17 | Squad |
2010 | 2nd round | 6th | 14 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 21 | Squad |
2011 | 2nd round | 6th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 18 | Squad |
2012 | 1st round | 11th | 12 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 28 | Squad |
2013 | Semifinals | 3rd | 14 | 10 | 4 | 35 | 23 | Squad |
2014 | Semifinals | 3rd | 16 | 9 | 7 | 33 | 25 | Squad |
2015 | 2nd round | 5th | 14 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 31 | Squad |
2016 | Semifinals | 4th | 13 | 7 | 6 | 25 | 20 | Squad |
2017 | 1st round | 12th | 9 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 23 | Squad |
Total | 8 titles | 28/28 | 425 | 287 | 138 | 1000 | 631 | - |
- 1990 Osaka — Gold medal
- 1991 Milan — Gold medal
- 1992 Genoa — Gold medal
- 1994 Milan — Gold medal
- Gardini, Martinelli, Gravina, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Papi, Sartoretti, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Margutti, Pippi, Giani, Bellini, Pasinato, Rinaldi, Fangareggi, Giretto. Head coach: Velasco
- 1995 Rio de Janeiro — Gold medal
- 1997 Moscow — Gold medal
- 1999 Mar del Plata — Gold medal
- 2000 Rotterdam — Gold medal
Nations League
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Nations League record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
2018 | Preliminary Round | 8th | 15 | 8 | 7 | 30 | 28 | Squad |
2019 | Preliminary Round | 8th | 15 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 25 | Squad |
2020 | Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
2021 | Preliminary Round | 10th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 33 | Squad |
2022 | Final Round | 4th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 16 | Squad |
2023 | Semifinals | 4th | 15 | 10 | 5 | 33 | 17 | Squad |
2024 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 13 | 9 | 4 | 31 | 17 | Squad |
Total | 0 title(s) | 6/6 | 90 | 53 | 35 | 188 | 136 | – |
European Championship
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
European Championship record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
1948 | - | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
1950 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1951 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | Squad |
1955 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
1958 | 1st round | 10th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 19 | Squad |
1963 | 1st round | 10th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 15 | Squad |
1967 | Final Round | 8th | 10 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 25 | Squad |
1971 | 1st round | 8th | 8 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 10 | Squad |
1975 | 1st round | 10th | 7 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 17 | Squad |
1977 | 1st round | 8th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | Squad |
1979 | Final Round | 5th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | Squad |
1981 | 1st round | 7th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 9 | Squad |
1983 | Final Round | 4th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 16 | Squad |
1985 | Final Round | 6th | 7 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 18 | Squad |
1987 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 14 | Squad |
1989 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 7 | Squad |
1991 | Final | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
1993 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 5 | Squad |
1995 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 6 | Squad |
1997 | Semifinals | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
1999 | Final | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 5 | Squad |
2001 | Final | 2nd | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 10 | Squad |
2003 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 4 | Squad |
2005 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 8 | Squad |
2007 | 2nd round | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 11 | Squad |
2009 | 2nd round | 10th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | Squad |
2011 | Final | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
2013 | Final | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 9 | Squad |
2015 | Semifinals | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
2017 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
2019 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 9 | Squad |
2021 | Final | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 5 | Squad |
2023 | Final | 2nd | 9 | 8 | 1 | 24 | 7 | Squad |
Total | 7 titles | 31/32 | 228 | 151 | 77 | 430 | 330 | - |
European Games
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
European Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
2015 Baku | 1st round | 11th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | Squad |
2019 Minsk | Volleyball not held | |||||||
2023 Kraków | ||||||||
Total | 0 titles | 1/1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | - |
Mediterranean Games
edit- 1959 — gold medal
- 1963 — silver medal
- 1975 — silver medal
- 1979 — Fourth place
- 1983 — gold medal
- 1987 — bronze medal
- 1991 — gold medal
- 1997 — Fourth place
- 2001 — gold medal
- 2005 — Fifth place
- 2009 — gold medal
- 2013 — gold medal
- 2018 — gold medal
- 2022 — bronze medal
- 2026 — Future event
Goodwill Games
editChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Goodwill Games record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
1986 | Did not participate | ||||||
1990 | Final | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
Total | 1 titles | 1/2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
- 1990 — Gold medal
Team
editCurrent roster
editRoster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The roster was announced on 8 July 2024.[2]
Head coach: Ferdinando De Giorgi[3]
- 5 Alessandro Michieletto OH
- 6 Simone Giannelli (c) S
- 7 Fabio Balaso L
- 8 Riccardo Sbertoli S
- 11 Giovanni Sanguinetti MB
- 12 Mattia Bottolo OH
- 14 Gianluca Galassi MB
- 15 Daniele Lavia OH
- 16 Yuri Romanò OP
- 19 Roberto Russo MB
- 23 Alessandro Bovolenta OP
- 31 Luca Porro OH
Coach history
edit- Pietro Bernardi (1947)
- Angelo Costa (1947-1949)
- Renzo Del Chicca (1949-1953)
- Ivan Trinajstic (1953-1966)
- Josef Kozak (1966-1969)
- Odone Federzoni (1969-1974)
- Odone Federzoni & Josef Kozak (1970)
- Franco Anderlini (1974-1976)
- Adriano Pavlica (1976-1977)
- Edward Skorek (1978 ad interim)
- Carmelo Pittera (1978-1982 + 1988)
- Nino Cuco (1981 ad interim)
- Silvano Prandi (1983-1986)
- Aleksander Skiba (1987)
- Michelangelo Lo Bianco (1988 ad interim)
- Julio Velasco (1988-1996)
- Angelo Frigoni (1990-1991 ad interim - World League)
- Daniele Bagnoli (1992 ad interim - World League)
- Paulo Roberto de Freitas (1996-1998)
- Andrea Anastasi (1998-2002)
- Kim Ho-Chul (2001)
- Gian Paolo Montali (2002-2007)
- Andrea Anastasi (2007-2010)
- Mauro Berruto (2010-2015)
- Gianlorenzo Blengini (2015-2021)
- Antonio Valentini (2021 - Volley Nations League)
- Ferdinando De Giorgi (2021-)
Record attendance
edit- Table updated to August 12, 2012.
# | Player | Appearances |
---|---|---|
1 | Andrea Giani | 474 |
2 | Andrea Gardini | 418 |
3 | Luigi Mastrangelo | 363 |
4 | Samuele Papi | 361 |
5 | Marco Bracci | 347 |
6 | Paolo Tofoli | 342 |
7 | Luca Cantagalli | 330 |
8 | Ferdinando De Giorgi | 330 |
9 | Andrea Sartoretti | 330 |
10 | Andrea Zorzi | 325 |
Kit providers
editThe table below shows the history of kit providers for the Italy national volleyball team.
Period | Kit provider |
---|---|
2000–2008 | Nike Asics |
2008–2021 | Asics Armani Errea |
Sponsorship
editPrimary sponsors include: main sponsors like DHL, Kinder (Ferrero SpA), Honda and Mizuno, other sponsors: Santal, Diadora, EthicSport, Reaxing, Crai, Nutrilite, Uliveto and Winform.
Media
editItaly's matches and friendlies are currently televised by RAI and Rai Sport.
References
edit- ^ Italy in Hall of Fame
- ^ "Parigi 2024: la lista degli azzurri per le Olimpiadi" [Paris 2024: the list of Italians for the Olympics] (in Italian). Italian Volleyball Federation. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Team roster: Italy" (PDF). Olympics.com. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.