The European volleyball team triumphed over their continental rivals from Turkey in a decisive match in Thailand, clinching their fourth major trophy in the last 15 months.
Italy`s women`s national volleyball team, representing its golden generation, added another significant victory to its international record, becoming the champions of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women`s World Championship in Thailand on Sunday.
The FIVB World Ranking leaders further enriched their trophy collection by defeating Turkey 3-2 (25-23, 13-25, 26-24, 19-25, 15-8) in the final showdown held at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok. This achievement marks their return to the top of the tournament podium after a 23-year hiatus.
This triumphant win in Thailand brought Italy its fourth major international title in just over a year. The team had previously secured victories in the Volleyball Nations League and the Paris Olympics in 2024, and then reclaimed the VNL title just over a month ago. Now, with an undefeated streak of 36 matches over the past 15 months, the Italian women`s national team is the first to simultaneously hold both the Olympic and World titles since Cuba achieved it in 2002.
This marks their second World Championship title and their fourth medal in the tournament. Italy first won the tournament in 2002 and has now achieved three consecutive podium finishes, having secured silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022.
Head coach Julio Velasco shared his emotions: “This victory is deeply emotional for us. After winning the World Championship, the Olympics, and two VNLs, I believe this team will be remembered as legendary in the future, much like a select few others. I am incredibly proud of them. They won two very challenging matches over the last two days, and they give their absolute best every single day in practice, truly deserving everything they have accomplished.”
Star opposite Paola Egonu bounced back after a somewhat inconsistent performance by her standards in the semifinal against Brazil, leading the Italians to the title with 22 points (18 kills, three blocks, one ace).
“I still can`t believe it,” Egonu exclaimed after the gold medal match. “I am truly proud of the team and incredibly happy. This is a moment I will never forget. It’s possibly the last time for some of our players too, and my heart is full now.”
Outside hitter Myriam Sylla also delivered an impressive performance, contributing 19 points (14 kills, four blocks, one ace), while Ekaterina Antropova once again made a significant impact coming off the bench, scoring 14 points (12 kills, two blocks), many of which were crucial in key moments.
The final`s top scorer was Turkish star Melissa Vargas, who tallied an incredible 33 points, including 28 kills, four aces, and one block. Captain Eda Erdem also played a very strong match, contributing 19 points (15 kills, three blocks, and an ace).
Interestingly, blocking was the sole area of the game where the Italians surpassed the Turks, outscoring them 14 points to ten. Turkey held an advantage in kills (68 to 59) and aces (seven to five), while both teams conceded 20 points to their opponents due to their own errors.
2025 FIVB Women`s Volleyball World Championship Results
Earlier on Sunday, Brazil defeated Japan 3-2 (25-12, 25-17, 19-25, 27-29, 18-16) to secure third place and the final spot on the podium in the 20th edition of the tournament.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick