In a dominant display at the Jiangmen Sports Center, Iran successfully defended their FIVB Volleyball Men`s U21 World Championship title on Sunday, overcoming an initial setback to defeat Italy in the final. This victory marks Iran`s third world title in the age-group category. Meanwhile, the United States made history by securing their first-ever medal in the tournament, claiming bronze after a decisive win against Czechia. Other nations, including France, Cuba, Ukraine, Japan, Egypt, and Argentina, also concluded their campaigns with victories in their respective placement matches.
Iran Claims Back-to-Back U21 World Championship
Iran clinched their Men`s U21 title defense with a 3-1 victory (15-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-14) over Italy in the final. This was the third encounter between these two teams in the U21 age group, with Iran having won both previous meetings in 2019 and 2023 in five-set thrillers. In this final, Italy started strong, dominating the first set 25-15, but Iran quickly regrouped to level the match with a decisive 25-18 win in the second set.
The third set was a closely contested affair, with teams trading points before a late surge from Iran secured a 25-22 win. In the fourth set, the defending champions showcased their tactical superiority, anticipating Italy`s strategies and establishing a comfortable lead. This allowed them to cruise to a 25-14 victory, sealing their consecutive Men`s U21 title and their third overall championship.
Seyed Matin Hosseini Tolouti was instrumental in Iran`s triumph, contributing 18 points from 10 kills, five aces, and three blocks. Pouya Ariakhah also made a significant impact with 15 points. For Italy, Tommaso Barotto and Pardo Matti each scored 14 points in their team`s losing effort.
United States Makes History with First-Ever Medal
The United States achieved a significant milestone, securing their first-ever medal in this age-group competition by sweeping Czechia 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-18) in the bronze medal match. This triumph comes fourteen years after their close miss for a podium finish. The Americans displayed exceptional composure and control, setting the pace and steadily widening their lead in each set to complete a dominant sweep.
This historic win was a testament to a balanced team performance, with the United States recording 42 kills, four aces, and eight blocks, while crucially keeping their errors to a minimum of just 13. Captain Sean Kelly was outstanding, contributing 19 points (14 kills, three blocks, two aces), and Cole Hartke added 12 points. Their robust defense effectively neutralized Czechia’s offense, limiting captain Matej Pastrnak to 13 points and opposite Tomas Brichta to only six. Strong blocking and excellent floor coverage consistently won rallies, allowing the Americans to clinch the match and celebrate their long-awaited place on the podium.
Classification Matches: Final Standings
Fifth Place: France vs. Poland
In the match for fifth place, France bounced back from an initial set loss to defeat Poland 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21). Adrien Roure led the French comeback with 20 points, supported by Joévin Wa-Bala`s 17 and Daniel Iyegbekedo`s 11. France maintained steady play and capitalized on crucial moments, despite a strong 24-point performance from Poland`s Wojciech Gajek, whose team lacked broader scoring contributions.
Seventh Place: Cuba vs. China
Cuba secured seventh place with a 3-1 victory (25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 25-22) against host China. Daniel Martinez was the driving force for Cuba, scoring 26 points, with Carlos Javier Pereira Larea adding 17. Although China managed to claim the third set through key contributions from Wu Haoze and Li Hai, Cuba regrouped in the fourth to conclude their tournament successfully.
Ninth Place: Ukraine vs. Bulgaria
Ukraine achieved a 3-0 sweep (25-23, 25-21, 25-23) against Bulgaria to claim ninth place, demonstrating composure during critical moments in each set. Maksym Tonkonoh and Mykola Kuts jointly led the team with 25 points, while Bulgaria`s Zhasmin Velichkov was the top scorer for his side with 14 points in a losing effort.
Eleventh Place: Japan vs. Korea
Japan secured 11th place by defeating Korea 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21). Shunta Ono contributed 19 points, while Takuma Kawano and Taiki Shirono each added 14, as Japan leveraged more consistent serving and a lower error rate. Despite Korea`s Yun Gyeong scoring an impressive 27 points, their higher number of unforced errors ultimately gave Japan the advantage.
Thirteenth Place: Egypt vs. Kazakhstan
Egypt claimed 13th place with a 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-19, 30-28) over Kazakhstan, largely due to their formidable blocking performance. The Egyptian team accumulated 15 blocks, with Mazen Abdelhameed contributing five, effectively countering Kazakhstan`s 45 kills. Hamza Awad Elsafy scored 16 points for Egypt, while Vladislav Mastikhin led Kazakhstan with 15 points in their loss.
Fifteenth Place: Argentina vs. Türkiye
Argentina concluded the classification rounds by securing 15th place with a 3-1 win (25-17, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20) against Türkiye. Fausto Diaz was the standout player with 29 points, supported by Mateo Ernesto Gomez Aracena (18 points) and Leonardo Herbsommer (12 points), who also delivered an impressive 10 blocks. Despite Türkiye`s Yilmaz Uner scoring 17 points, Argentina’s superior team depth and powerful blocking ultimately determined the outcome.
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood