Brazil`s hopes of qualifying now hinge on Czechia losing at least one set to China to keep their chances of progressing in the tournament.
Outside hitter Pavle Perić scored 15 points for Serbia in their decisive victory over Brazil.
The final day of group stage matches at the 2025 FIVB Men`s Volleyball World Championship brought a significant shift. Serbia, having started their campaign with a loss, unexpectedly secured a spot in the Round of 16. Conversely, Brazil, which appeared set for qualification after two initial victories, now faces the risk of early elimination.
This dramatic shift occurred after the European squad pulled off an upset against the South Americans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Thursday. Serbia triumphed with a clean 3-0 sweep (25-22, 25-20, 25-22) in the final Pool H encounter.
Serbia`s consecutive victory in Pasay City propelled them to six points in the Pool H standings, securing their progression to the Round of 16. For Brazil, however, the loss had an adverse impact; after seeming on the verge of advancement just two days prior with their second win, their fate now depends on the outcome of the Czechia versus China match later on Thursday.
Brazil concluded their pool play with six points, two wins, and a set record of six won against four lost. Czechia, currently with three points, one win, and a 3-3 set record, must secure a 3-0 victory against China to surpass Brazil in the set ratio tie-breaker. A 3-1 win for Czechia would lead to a points ratio tie-breaker, while a 3-2 win or any loss would see Brazil advance.
Dražen Luburić, the opposite hitter, was instrumental in Serbia`s victory, spearheading the team`s offense with an impressive 19 points (17 kills, two aces). Outside hitter Pavle Perić also delivered a strong performance, contributing 15 points (13 kills, one block, one ace).
“Brazil is an incredible team, and it`s been a while since our last win against them. Perhaps they weren`t at their peak today, but we played an exceptional game. We displayed a lot of passion and high-quality volleyball, and I am extremely happy and proud of our team. We aim to maintain this level of play.”
— Nikola Jovović, Serbian Setter
For Brazil, opposite hitter Alan de Souza was the top scorer with 10 points (nine kills, one block), narrowly outscoring middle blocker Judson Nunes, who recorded seven kills and two blocks.
“We approached this game with the same energy as our previous match, but Serbia played an outstanding game today. They were exceptionally skilled at navigating challenging situations, and despite our continuous efforts, it led to frustration. I believe we played well, but Serbia simply outperformed us in every aspect. Luburić and Perić delivered phenomenal performances, and we found ourselves unable to contain them. We`re disappointed because our goal was to secure another win and play well, but now our only option is to await the outcome of the other match.”
— Ricardo Lucarelli, Brazilian Outside Hitter
Serbia`s commanding performance was evident in the statistics: the Europeans outscored Brazil in kills (43 to 40), blocks (ten to six), aces (four to two), and capitalized more on opponent errors (18 to 16).
The Brazilian team`s qualification status will remain undecided until Thursday evening, as Czechia and China are scheduled to play the final match of the day at 21:00 local time (13:00 GMT).
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick