France Set to Defend Boys’ U19 World Title Against Poland

The highly anticipated final of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship, held at Yunnusobod Hall in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is set to be a clash of European titans: France and Poland. France, the reigning champions, are geared up to defend their title, while Poland marks its return to the final stage for the first time in four years.

Semifinal Showdowns

France Edges Out Iran in Thrilling Rematch

In a captivating semifinal, France faced Iran in a rematch of the 2023 final, emerging victorious with a 3-1 scoreline (14-25, 25-14, 25-22, 25-19). Iran initially seized momentum, dominating the first set with powerful attacks led by Amir Naderi Noureyni and Amirmohammad Rafieirad. However, the French team, displaying their champion pedigree, quickly retaliated. Daniel Iyegbekedo and William Laplace took charge through the middle, swinging the momentum decisively in France`s favor as they leveled the match with a dominant 25-14 win in the second set.

The third set was fiercely contested, with Iran narrowing the score to 18-17. Despite the pressure, France maintained their composure, securing crucial points through well-timed hits from Noa Duflos Rossi, Adelin Nowaczyk, and Andrej Jokanovic, ultimately clinching the set 25-22. The defending champions then sealed their place in the final with a confident performance in the fourth set.

Daniel Iyegbekedo was the standout performer for France, leading all scorers with 18 points, including an impressive six blocks. Andrej Jokanovic contributed 13 points, Noa Duflos Rossi added 11, and Adelin Nowaczyk scored 10. For Iran, Amirmohammad Rafieirad led with 15 points, supported by Amir Naderi with 14 and Mohammad Amin Rahimi with 12.

Poland Dominates Spain to Secure Final Berth

Poland booked their place in the final with a commanding 3-0 victory over Spain (25-16, 25-16, 25-20). The Polish squad controlled the match from the opening serve, with Maksymilian Lyson and Jakub Szczurowski orchestrating a potent offensive display that Spain`s defense struggled to contain.

Poland quickly established an early lead, limiting Spain to just 16 points in each of the first two sets. By the third set, both Lyson and Szczurowski had already reached double-digit scores, while Cesar Irache remained Spain`s most productive player.

Maksymilian Lyson delivered an exceptional performance, finishing with 25 points from 21 attacks, two blocks, and two aces. Jakub Szczurowski added 12 points. Poland demonstrated superior play across all categories, recording 47 attacks, 8 blocks, and 5 aces. Cesar Irache led Spain`s offense with 17 points.

Championship History and Stakes

France will be aiming for their second World Championship title, having previously earned a bronze medal. Poland, with a distinguished record of two gold medals and two bronzes, is preparing for its third Boys’ U19 final, having triumphed in 2015 and 2021.

Classification Round Summaries

The tournament also saw intense competition in the classification rounds:

• 5th to 8th Place: Bulgaria swept Korea 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-21), with Zhasmin Velichkov leading the scoring. Italy secured a 3-0 victory over Finland (25-19, 25-20, 25-23), largely due to their superior blocking.
• 9th to 12th Place: China mounted an impressive reverse sweep against Argentina, winning 3-2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-20, 35-33, 15-13), showcasing remarkable resilience in the fourth set. Brazil came from behind to defeat Belgium 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-16), leveraging their strong blocking game.
• 13th to 16th Place: Pakistan emerged victorious over the United States 3-1 (25-14, 22-25, 25-18, 25-23), excelling in all scoring skills. Host nation Uzbekistan delighted the home crowd with a 3-1 win against Japan (14-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-14), driven by powerful blocking.
• 17th to 20th Place: Cuba secured 17th place by sweeping Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-20). Colombia claimed 19th place with a 3-2 comeback victory over Türkiye (20-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 15-12).
• 21st to 24th Place: Egypt finished 21st after a dominant 3-0 win against Tunisia (25-18, 25-18, 25-21). Canada concluded their tournament in 23rd place, beating Algeria 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 30-28).