Published: August 1, 2025
The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, witnessed a day of intense quarterfinal action on Friday. Iran, France, Poland, and Spain emerged triumphant, securing their highly coveted spots in the tournament`s semifinals. Beyond the top-tier matches, thrilling contests unfolded across various placement brackets, showcasing global talent.
Quarterfinal Highlights
Iran Ends Finland`s Dream Run: Iran brought an end to Finland`s surprising journey, clinching a 3-1 (30-28, 21-25, 25-16, 25-20) victory. After a hard-fought first set where Finland pushed Iran to extra points, and then leveling the match in the second, the formidable Asian team asserted full control. Their strong net defense and consistent attacking proved decisive in the final two frames. Amir Naderi Noureyni spearheaded Iran`s offense with 19 points, ably supported by Mohammad Amin Rahimi (15 points) and Mohammadnima Bateni (14 points). Viktor Viljamaa was Finland`s leading scorer with 16 points.
France Overcomes Italy in Thriller: France booked their place in the final four by defeating Italy 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 32-30, 25-18) in a fiercely contested match. Both sides displayed high-caliber volleyball, but France ultimately pulled ahead, notably with 10 service aces, seven of which came from Andrej Jokanovic, who impressively tallied 23 points. Noa Dufflos Rossi also contributed 23 points through powerful attacks. Italy`s Manuel Zlatanov matched their individual scoring with 23 points, though the French team`s overall depth proved superior.
Poland Prevails in Marathon Against Korea: Poland endured yet another gruelling five-set match, their fourth of the tournament, outlasting Korea 3-2 (25-17, 24-26, 27-25, 19-25, 15-13). Maksymilian Lyson was the standout performer for Poland, contributing a remarkable 37 points, including four blocks and 33 kills. Oskar Trawka added 17 points, with five crucial blocks, as the Polish defense collectively registered 17 blocks. For Korea, Bang Kangho led with 26 points, and Lee Seungil added 21.
Spain Completes Stunning Comeback Against Bulgaria: Spain also required five sets, executing an impressive reverse sweep to defeat Bulgaria 3-2 (24-26, 19-25, 25-17, 25-17, 15-8). Cesar Irache was the match`s top scorer with 31 points, including four service aces. Gerard Rejon Faundez contributed 18 points, and Izunna Kennedy Okafor Asierika added six blocks. Despite a strong initial showing from Bulgaria, with Zhasmin Velichkov and Deyan Marinov combining for 34 points, they could not maintain their momentum as Spain took control in the decisive final three sets.
Other Placement Matches
9th–16th Bracket Results:
- China delivered a clean 3-0 sweep against Pakistan, showcasing disciplined net defense and minimal unforced errors.
- Argentina mounted a comeback to beat the United States 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 15-9), with Samuel Guidi Correa and Mauro Danilo Gay combining for an impressive 45 points.
- Brazil triumphed over tournament hosts Uzbekistan 3-1 (25-13, 23-25, 25-15, 25-18), with Andre Luis Berto Aleixo and Lucas Righi Carvalho each scoring 18 points.
- Belgium narrowly defeated Japan in a dramatic five-set encounter, featuring an extraordinary 42-40 second set and a 15-11 deciding frame. All Belgian starters reached double figures, effectively countering Japan’s Karen Masajedi’s outstanding 34-point individual performance.
17th–24th Placement Matches:
- Cuba secured a 3-0 victory against Türkiye (25-22, 25-18, 25-21).
- Puerto Rico triumphed over Colombia 3-1 (25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 25-21).
- Tunisia edged out Algeria in a five-set thriller, winning 3-2 (25-19, 28-30, 21-25, 25-17, 15-7).
- Egypt secured a dominant 3-0 win against Canada (25-22, 25-16, 25-20), showcasing a strong display in both offense and defense.
Upcoming Semifinals
With the quarterfinals concluded, the stage is now set for the highly anticipated semifinals on Saturday. Poland will clash with Spain, while France will go head-to-head against Iran. These crucial matches will determine which nations will compete for the coveted world title.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick