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Italy men's national volleyball team

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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.

Italy
Nickname(s)Gli Azzurri (The Blues)
AssociationFederazione Italiana Pallavolo (in Italian)
ConfederationCEV
Head coachFerdinando De Giorgi
FIVB ranking3 (as of 10 July 2024)
Uniforms
Home
Away
Third
Summer Olympics
Appearances13 (First in 1976)
Best result (1996, 2004, 2016)
World Championship
Appearances19 (First in 1949)
Best result (1990, 1994, 1998, 2022)
World Cup
Appearances8 (First in 1989)
Best result (1995)
European Championship
Appearances29 (First in 1948)
Best result (1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2021)
federvolley.it
Honours
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 3 3
World Championship 4 1 0
World Cup 1 3 1
World Grand Champions Cup 1 1 2
World League 8 3 4
Nations League 0 0 0
European Championship 7 4 3
Universiade 3 1 5
Mediterranean Games 7 2 2
Goodwill Games 1 0 0
Total 32 18 20
Medal record
Olympics
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta Team
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Los Angeles Team
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Sydney Team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1990 Brazil
Gold medal – first place 1994 Greece
Gold medal – first place 1998 Japan
Gold medal – first place 2022 Poland/Slovenia
Silver medal – second place 1978 Italy
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1995 Japan
Silver medal – second place 1989 Japan
Silver medal – second place 2003 Japan
Silver medal – second place 2015 Japan
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Japan
World Grand Champions Cup
Gold medal – first place 1993 Japan
Silver medal – second place 2017 Japan
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Japan
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Japan
World League
Gold medal – first place 1990 Osaka
Gold medal – first place 1991 Milan
Gold medal – first place 1992 Genoa
Gold medal – first place 1994 Milan
Gold medal – first place 1995 Rio de Janeiro
Gold medal – first place 1997 Moscow
Gold medal – first place 1999 Mar del Plata
Gold medal – first place 2000 Rotterdam
Silver medal – second place 1996 Rotterdam
Silver medal – second place 2001 Katowice
Silver medal – second place 2004 Rome
Bronze medal – third place 1993 São Paulo
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Madrid
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Mar del Plata
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Florence
European Championship
Gold medal – first place 1989 Sweden
Gold medal – first place 1993 Finland
Gold medal – first place 1995 Greece
Gold medal – first place 1999 Austria
Gold medal – first place 2003 Germany
Gold medal – first place 2005 Italy/Serbia and Montenegro
Gold medal – first place 2021 Poland/Czech Republic/Estonia/Finland
Silver medal – second place 1991 Germany
Silver medal – second place 2001 Czech Republic
Silver medal – second place 2011 Austria/Czech Republic
Silver medal – second place 2013 Denmark/Poland
Silver medal – second place 2023 Bulgaria/Israel/Italy/North Macedonia
Bronze medal – third place 1948 Italy
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Netherlands
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Bulgaria/Italy
Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1970 Turin
Gold medal – first place 2019 Naples
Gold medal – first place 2021 Chengdu
Silver medal – second place 1997 Sicilly
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Edmonton
Bronze medal – third place 1985 Kobe
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Zagreb
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Fukuoka
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Izmir
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 1959 Lebanon
Gold medal – first place 1983 Casablanca
Gold medal – first place 1991 Athens
Gold medal – first place 2001 Tunis
Gold medal – first place 2009 Pescara
Gold medal – first place 2013 Mersin
Gold medal – first place 2018 Tarragona
Silver medal – second place 1963 Naples
Silver medal – second place 1975 Algiers
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Latakia
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Oran
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place 1990 Seattle

Result history

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In 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

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  Champions    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

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  Champions    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

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  Champions    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 -

World Grand Champions Cup

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  Champions    Runners up    Third place    Fourth place

World League

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  Champions    Runners up    Third place    Fourth place

Nations League

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  Champions    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

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  Champions    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

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  Champions    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

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  • 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

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  Champions    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

Team

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Current roster

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Roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The roster was announced on 8 July 2024.[2]

Head coach: Ferdinando De Giorgi[3]

Coach history

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Record attendance

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  • 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

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The 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

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Primary sponsors include: main sponsors like DHL, Kinder (Ferrero SpA), Honda and Mizuno, other sponsors: Santal, Diadora, EthicSport, Reaxing, Crai, Nutrilite, Uliveto and Winform.

Media

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Italy's matches and friendlies are currently televised by RAI and Rai Sport.

References

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  1. ^ Italy in Hall of Fame
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "Team roster: Italy" (PDF). Olympics.com. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
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