Brazil`s women`s volleyball team triumphantly secured their top position in Pool C of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women`s World Championship, sweeping Puerto Rico and setting up an anticipated clash with either China or the Dominican Republic in the Round of 16.
Júlia Kudiess was a key player for Brazil, excelling at the net with eight kills and six blocks.
Brazil`s women`s volleyball team has successfully concluded their pool play campaign at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women`s World Championship, remaining undefeated after a decisive victory against Puerto Rico. The South American squad showcased their formidable prowess in their third and final match held in Chiang Mai.
Following earlier triumphs over Greece and France, the world`s second-ranked team demonstrated overwhelming superiority against their Caribbean opponents. They secured a clean 3-0 sweep with impressive set scores of 25-19, 25-13, and 25-18. This dominant performance confidently paves their way to Thailand`s capital, Bangkok, where the highly anticipated elimination rounds are scheduled to commence.
With a flawless record of three wins in as many matches, Brazil firmly claimed the first position in Pool C, accumulating a commanding eight points. Their next challenge in the Round of 16, slated for Sunday, will be against the second-placed team from Pool F – either China or the Dominican Republic. In a parallel Pool C encounter in Chiang Mai, France triumphed over Greece 3-1 (17-25, 25-21, 28-26, 25-17), securing the second qualification spot for the elimination rounds with two victories and seven points.
Both China and the Dominican Republic have guaranteed their spots in the Round of 16 from Pool F and are set to face each other on Wednesday at 19:30 local time (12:30 GMT). The winner of this crucial upcoming match will advance to play France, while the losing team will find themselves on a challenging path against the formidable Brazilian squad.
Brazil`s middle blockers proved to be instrumental in their commanding performance against Puerto Rico. Júlia Kudiess was exceptional, leading the team with an outstanding 14 points, which included eight powerful kills and six crucial blocks. Not far behind, Diana Alecrim contributed significantly with 13 points, comprising eight kills, four blocks, and an ace. Outside hitter Júlia Bergmann also reached double digits, concluding the match with 11 points from six kills, four blocks, and an ace.
“We won three out of three and I’m very proud of the team,” Bergmann commented after the match. “We had three tough matches and I’m happy that we managed to win them. Our blocking was excellent today. We were jumping high and pressing them, and our positioning was excellent, too. I loved the atmosphere here in Chiang Mai. Coming into the court gave me chills every day.”
Indeed, Brazil`s superior blocking was a major determinant in their victory, as they emphatically outscored Puerto Rico in this category by a significant margin of 17 points to five. The South Americans also demonstrated clear superiority in kills (38 to 24) and aces (three to zero), while committing notably fewer errors (11 to 17), underscoring their comprehensive dominance on the court.
On the Puerto Rican side, despite their elimination from the tournament, their outside hitters performed commendably in their final match. Valeria Vazquez tallied 11 points, all achieved through powerful kills, and Paola Santiago contributed ten points, also exclusively from kills.
Opposite Decelise Champion reflected on her team`s World Championship experience: “It was really exciting to be here. It was a lot of fun, but also very challenging. We have learned how to connect more as a team and play together. We’ll get to the next tournaments with better chemistry and more organized as a team.”
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick