Italy has once again risen to the pinnacle of men`s volleyball, clinching the 2025 FIVB World Championship title in a captivating final held in Pasay City, Philippines. Playing before a crowd of 15,682 enthusiastic spectators on Sunday, the Italian squad defeated a spirited young Bulgarian team in four sets. This monumental victory marks Italy`s second consecutive and fifth overall world championship, adding to their previous triumphs in 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2022. Bulgaria, securing the silver medal, achieved their best result since 1970. Earlier in the day, Poland defeated Czechia in four sets to earn the bronze medal.
The final match was a testament to Italy`s strategic prowess and individual brilliance. Despite committing a number of serving errors, Bulgaria initially gained a two-point lead in the first set. However, Italy quickly seized momentum, with outside hitter Mattia Bottolo delivering five consecutive serves that allowed Italy to pull ahead decisively. Bottolo ultimately sealed the first set with a four-point lead for Italy (25-21). In the second set, Bulgaria showed resilience, overcoming an early five-point deficit, but Italy, fueled by an outstanding performance from opposite Yuri Romano, regained control. Romano`s remarkable five consecutive aces effectively secured the set, and another ace from Bottolo soon after gave Italy a commanding two-set lead (25-17). Bulgaria found their rhythm in the third set, with their aggressive serving finally yielding results. Outside hitter Martin Atanasov`s ace brought them to set point, and opposite Asparuh Asparuhov`s intelligent attack closed the set with a wide margin (17-25). Nevertheless, Italy`s dominance was reaffirmed in the fourth set, largely due to two more exceptional serving runs by Bottolo. His initial streak helped Italy establish an early lead, and his subsequent efforts brought the match to its conclusion. Middle blocker Simone Anzani then delivered the championship-winning point, securing a 3-1 victory for Italy with set scores of 25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10.
Italy`s victory was comprehensive, as they outperformed Bulgaria across all key statistical categories. They committed fewer unforced errors (22-23), demonstrated superior attacking power with more spike kills (46-43), excelled in net defense with more kill blocks (10-4), and notably dominated in serving, recording 13 aces compared to Bulgaria`s 4. Mattia Bottolo was a standout, contributing an impressive seven aces, along with two kill blocks and 10 offensive points, totaling 19 points. Yuri Romano led the Italian scoring with 22 points, achieved through five aces, one kill block, and an exceptional 70% success rate in attacking. Outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto also made a significant contribution, reaching double digits with 11 points.
Over 15 and a half thousand fans witnessed the World Championship final in Pasay City.
For Bulgaria, 21-year-old outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov showcased an outstanding performance, not only leading the final match in scoring with 23 points but also finishing as the tournament`s top scorer with a grand total of 173 points. In the championship match, Nikolov maintained a 58% success rate in spiking, complementing his score with one kill block and one ace. Martin Atanasov also contributed significantly for Bulgaria, tallying 11 points, which included two aces and one block, while achieving a 62% success rate in his attacks.
Oliver Wrenwick