Article – Saturday, September 6, 2025
The 2025 FIVB Women`s World Championship final promises a historic showdown in women`s volleyball as Türkiye and Italy face off for the gold medal. This highly anticipated match pits two of the sport`s most consistent powerhouses against each other. Türkiye, the current European champions, will battle Italy, the reigning Olympic champions and winners of the 2025 FIVB Women`s Volleyball Nations League. Both teams remain undefeated in Thailand, setting the stage for a European clash to crown the new world champion – a title European nations have claimed in five of the last six tournaments.
Italy boasts a strong World Championship pedigree, having won in 2002 and secured podium finishes in the last two editions (silver in 2018, bronze in 2023). For Türkiye, this final marks a historic achievement, guaranteeing their first-ever medal in the competition, surpassing their previous best of sixth place in 2010.
The rivalry between Türkiye and Italy has intensified significantly in recent years, particularly since Italian coach Daniele Santarelli took the helm of the Turkish `Sultanları` in 2023. Under Santarelli`s guidance, Türkiye secured the CEV EuroVolley Women title in 2023 and the 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League. However, this World Championship final presents Santarelli with his most formidable challenge yet, as Italy enters the match in phenomenal form.
Italy boasts an impressive 35-match official winning streak, their last defeat being a 2:3 loss to Brazil in the June 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League. Within this dominant run, Italy has bested Türkiye four times: 3:1 in the 2024 FIVB Women’s VNL, two 3:0 victories at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and a narrow 3:2 win in the 2025 FIVB Women’s VNL on July 12.
“This was a triumph of team spirit and character. We fought for each other, maintained eye contact, and supported one another throughout every stage of the match. This collective attitude was crucial, making a difficult match, as anticipated, all the more wonderful to win.”
Conversely, Türkiye’s journey to the final heavily depended on the exceptional performance of Melissa Vargas, MVP of the 2023 CEV EuroVolley Women. Vargas delivered a standout 28-point performance, leading Türkiye to a comeback victory against Japan in the semi-finals after dropping the first set 16:25.
“We consistently give our all on the court and once again demonstrated our true spirit. I am immensely proud of this team. It feels surreal; I don’t think I fully grasp what we’ve just accomplished. However, we’ll quickly move past this game and channel our focus entirely on the final.”
Vargas leads the competition’s scoring with 119 points, while Italy counters with their formidable star, Paola Egonu, who has tallied 107 points. The gold medal match is scheduled for 14:30 CEST in Bangkok, preceded by Brazil and Japan competing for the bronze medal after their semi-final defeats.
Finley Blackwood