my-server
← Wiki Redirected from Italy national volleyball team

Italy men's national volleyball team

The Italy men's national volleyball team represents the country in international competitions and friendly matches. The national team is controlled by the Italian Volleyball Federation, the governing body for Volleyball in Italy. It is one of the most successful national teams in the history of volleyball, having won five World Championships (1990, 1994, 1998, 2022 and 2025), seven European Championships (1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2021), one World Cup (1995), and eight World Leagues (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2000). Italy is the reigning world champion, having won the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship on 28 September 2025. Italy equaled a record previously held by the USSR by becoming world volleyball champions in both men’s and women’s competitions — a feat the Soviet Union had achieved in 1952 and 1960.

Result history

Until the late 1980s, Italy's best results were a silver medal in the home-held 1978 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympic Games. Two years later, Italy classified only 12th at the 1986 World Championships. Subsequenrtly, Italy finished 9th at both the 1987 European championships and the 1988 Summer Olympics. The Italian federation decided for a hiring Julio Velasco as coach, after his successful tenure at Panini Modena.

Velasco immediately led them to a gold medal at the European Championships in 1989, a tournament his team won twice more in 1993 and 1995. The team also won a silver medal at the World Cup in 1989. He de-emphasized the specialization trend of the 1980s and introduce the concept of the “square”, team unity where the team was better than the sum of its players.

Starting at the 1990 World Championships and the 1990 Goodwill Games, the Italian National team swept the world volleyball events for five years. They won a gold medal in the World Championships in 1990 and 1994, the World League in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995, the 1991 Mediterranean Games, and the 1993 Grand Champions Cup. They won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. Julio Velasco left the Italian National Men's Team in 1996. Velasco in 1989-1996 created Golden Team with Players such as Zorzi, Andrea Gardini, Giani, Bernardi, Gravina, Bracci, Tofoli, Lucchetta, Papi, Pasinato and Meoni.

Olympic Games

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

World Championship

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

World Cup

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

  • 1995 — Gold medal

World Grand Champions Cup

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

World League

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

Nations League

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

European Championship

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

European Games

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

Mediterranean Games

  • 1959 — gold medal
  • 1963 — silver medal
  • 1975 — silver medal
  • 1979 — Fourth place
  • 1983 — gold medal
  • 1987 — bronze medal
  • 1991 — gold medal
  • 1997 — Fourth place
  • 2001 — gold medal
  • 2005 — Fifth place
  • 2009 — gold medal
  • 2013 — gold medal
  • 2018 — gold medal
  • 2022 — bronze medal
  • 2026 — Future event
  • 2030 — Future event

Goodwill Games

Champions   Runners up   Third place   Fourth place

  • 1990 — Gold medal

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Coach history

Record attendance

  • Table updated to August 12, 2012.

Kit providers

The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Italy national volleyball team.

Sponsorship

Primary sponsors include: main sponsors like DHL, Kinder (Ferrero SpA), Honda and Mizuno, other sponsors: Santal, Diadora, EthicSport, Reaxing, Crai, Nutrilite, Uliveto and Winform.

Media

Italy's matches and friendlies are currently televised by RAI and Rai Sport.

References

External links