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Italy men's national volleyball team facts for kids

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Italy
[[File:Italian Volleyball Federation logo.png|180px|frameless|Flag]]
Nickname(s) Gli Azzurri (The Blues)
Association Federazione Italiana Pallavolo
Confederation CEV
Head coach Ferdinando De Giorgi
FIVB ranking 3 (as of September 2014)
Uniforms
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
 
Home
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
 
Away
Summer Olympics
Appearances 12 (First in 1976)
Best result Silver medal.svg (1996, 2004, 2016)
World Championship
Appearances 18 (First in 1949)
Best result Gold medal world centered-2.svg (1990, 1994, 1998, 2022)
FIVB World Cup
Appearances 8 (First in 1989)
Best result Simple gold cup.svg (1995)
European Championship
Appearances 29 (First in 1948)
Best result Gold medal europe.svg (1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2021)
Website federvolley.it

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 four World Championships (1990, 1994, 1998 and 2022), seven European Championships, one World Cup (1995) and eight World League (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000). Italy is the reigning World champion, having won 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.

Result history

2008 Olympic Volleyball team Italy
Italy national team at 2008 Summer Olympics

Golden Team

In 1989, Julio Velasco was hired to coach the Italian National Men's Team. He immediately led them to a gold medal at the European Championships in 1989, which 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. He emphasized the concept of the “square”, team unity where the team was better than the sum of its players. He was meticulous, well prepared and very demanding, but he knew how to win. 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

Olympic Games record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL Squad
Japan 1964 Did not qualify
Mexico 1968
West Germany 1972
Canada 1976 1st round 8th 5 0 5 2 15 Squad
Soviet Union 1980 1st round 9th 5 2 3 5 11 Squad
United States 1984 Semifinals Bronze 6 4 2 14 7 Squad
South Korea 1988 1st round 9th 7 4 3 13 13 Squad
Spain 1992 Quarterfinals 5th 7 5 2 18 8 Squad
United States 1996 Final Silver 8 7 1 23 5 Squad
Australia 2000 Semifinals Bronze 8 7 1 21 8 Squad
Greece 2004 Final Silver 8 5 3 20 11 Squad
China 2008 Semifinals 4th 8 5 3 17 14 Squad
United Kingdom 2012 Semifinals Bronze 8 5 3 16 13 Squad
Brazil 2016 Final Silver 8 6 2 19 10 Squad
Japan 2020 Quarterfinals 6th 6 4 2 14 10 Squad
France 2024 Future events
United States 2028
Australia 2032
Total 0 titles 12/15 84 54 32 182 125

World Championship

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

World Championship record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL Squad
Czechoslovakia 1949 1st round 8th 5 2 3 8 9 Squad
Soviet Union 1952 Did not qualify
France 1956 1st round 14th 10 6 4 22 14 Squad
Soviet Union 1960 Did not qualify
Soviet Union 1962 1st round 14th 11 5 6 19 23 Squad
Czechoslovakia 1966 1st round 16th 11 2 9 9 31 Squad
Bulgaria 1970 1st round 15th 11 3 8 23 28 Squad
Mexico 1974 1st round 19th 11 7 4 24 14 Squad
Italy 1978 Final 2nd 10 8 2 24 12 Squad
Argentina 1982 1st round 14th 10 8 2 24 12 Squad
France 1986 2nd round 11th 8 3 5 14 18 Squad
Brazil 1990 Final 1st 7 6 1 18 7 Squad
Greece 1994 Final 1st 7 6 1 20 6 Squad
Japan 1998 Final 1st 12 11 1 33 7 Squad
Argentina 2002 Quarterfinals 5th 9 6 3 23 14 Squad
Japan 2006 2nd round 5th 11 8 3 28 13 Squad
Italy 2010 Semifinals 4th 10 8 2 26 12 Squad
Poland 2014 2nd round 13th 9 3 6 14 22 Squad
Italy Bulgaria 2018 3rd round 5th 10 8 2 26 11 Squad
Poland Slovenia 2022 Final 1st 7 7 0 21 4 Squad
Philippines 2025 Future event Squad
Total 4 titles 18/20 169 107 62 376 257
  • Brazil 1990 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Anastasi, Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, De Giorgi, Gardini, Giani, Lucchetta, Martinelli, Masciarelli, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
  • Greece 1994 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, Gardini, Giani, De Giorgi, Giretto, Gravina, Papi, Pippi, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
  • Japan 1998 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Bracci, Corsano, Fei, Gardini, Giani, De Giorgi, Gravina, Meoni, Papi, Pasinato, Rosalba, Sartoretti. Head Coach: Bebeto
  • Poland / Slovenia 2022 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Anzani, Balaso, Bottolo, Galassi, Giannelli, Lavia, Michieletto, Mosca, Pinali, Recine, Romanò, Russo, Sbertoli, Scanferla. Head Coach: De Giorgi

World Cup

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

World Cup record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL Squad
Poland 1965 Did not qualify
East Germany 1969
Japan 1977
Japan 1981 - 7th 7 1 6 9 18 Squad
Japan 1985 Did not qualify
Japan 1989 - 2nd 7 6 1 20 5 Squad
Japan 1991 Did not qualify
Japan 1995 - 1st 11 11 0 33 3 Squad
Japan 1999 - 3rd 11 8 3 26 14 Squad
Japan 2003 - 2nd 11 9 2 29 8 Squad
Japan 2007 Did not qualify
Japan 2011 - 4th 11 8 3 28 15 Squad
Japan 2015 - 2nd 11 10 1 30 8 Squad
Japan 2019 - 7th 11 5 6 14 19 Squad
Japan 2023 Did not qualify
Total 1 title 8/14 80 58 22 189 90 -
  • Japan 1995 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal

World Grand Champions Cup

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

  • Japan 1993 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Bracci, Galli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Zorzi, Cantagalli, Bellini, Pippi, Pasinato, Bernardi. Head Coach: Velasco

World League

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

  • Japan 1990 Osaka — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Gardini, Margutti, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Masciarelli, Anastasi, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Zorzi, Lucchetta, Giazzoli, Pasinato, Petrelli, Martinelli, Loro, Gallia. Head coach: Velasco
  • Italy 1991 Milan — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Gardini, Martinelli, Margutti, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Masciarelli, Anastasi, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Zorzi, Lucchetta, Giazzoli, Pasinato, Petrelli, Lombardi, Gallia, Galli, Gravina. Head coach: Velasco
  • Italy 1992 Genoa — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Gardini, Martinelli, Margutti, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Masciarelli, Galli, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Zorzi, Lucchetta, Giani, Giazzoli, Pasinato. Head coach: Velasco
  • Italy 1994 Milan — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Gardini, Martinelli, Gravina, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Papi, Sartoretti, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Margutti, Pippi, Giani, Bellini, Pasinato, Rinaldi, Fangareggi, Giretto. Head coach: Velasco
  • Brazil 1995 Rio de Janeiro — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Fangareggi, Rosalba, Gravina, De Giorgi, Botti, Papi, Sartoretti, Verniaghi, Giazzoli, Bonati, Radicioni, Pippi, Giani, Bellini, Pasinato, Bovolenta, Meoni, Giretto. Head coach: Velasco
  • Russia 1997 Moscow — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Gardini, Meoni, Gravina, Bendani, Fangareggi, Papi, Giombini, Sartoretti, Casoli, Rosalba, Zlatanov, Pippi, Giani, Bovolenta, Bonati, Patriarca, Bellini. Head coach: de Freitas
  • Argentina 1999 Mar del Plata — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Vermiglio, Meoni, Mastrangelo, Fei, Papi, Sartoretti, Casoli, Rosalba, Zlatanov, Corsano, Bellini, Bovolenta, Giombini, Molteni. Head coach: Anastasi
  • Netherlands 2000 Rotterdam — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Gardini, Meoni, Gravina, Mastrangelo, Tofoli, Papi, Sartoretti, Bracci, Bernardi, Rosalba, Molteni, Corsano, Giani, Fei, Castellano, Bovolenta, Giombini, Vermiglio. Head coach: Anastasi

Nations League

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

Nations League record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL Squad
France 2018 Preliminary Round 8th 15 8 7 30 28 Squad
United States 2019 Preliminary Round 8th 15 8 7 31 25 Squad
Italy 2020 Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Italy 2021 Preliminary Round 10th 15 7 8 28 33 Squad
Italy 2022 Final Round 4th 15 11 4 35 16 Squad
Poland 2023 Semifinals 4th 15 10 5 33 17 Squad
Total 0 title(s) 5/5 75 44 31 157 119

European Championship

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

European Championship record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL Squad
Italy 1948 - 3rd 5 3 2 11 6 Squad
Bulgaria 1950 Did not qualify
France 1951 1st round 8th 5 2 3 8 9 Squad
Romania 1955 1st round 9th 7 5 2 15 8 Squad
Czech Republic 1958 1st round 10th 11 8 3 26 19 Squad
Romania 1963 1st round 10th 11 8 3 24 15 Squad
Turkey 1967 Final Round 8th 10 3 7 11 25 Squad
Italy 1971 1st round 8th 8 6 2 21 10 Squad
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1975 1st round 10th 7 2 5 8 17 Squad
Finland 1977 1st round 8th 7 3 4 12 16 Squad
France 1979 Final Round 5th 7 3 4 13 14 Squad
Bulgaria 1981 1st round 7th 7 5 2 15 9 Squad
East Germany 1983 Final Round 4th 7 4 3 16 16 Squad
Netherlands 1985 Final Round 6th 7 1 6 10 18 Squad
Belgium 1987 1st round 9th 7 3 4 14 14 Squad
Sweden 1989 Final 1st 7 6 1 20 7 Squad
Germany 1991 Final 2nd 7 6 1 18 7 Squad
Sweden 1993 Final 1st 7 7 0 21 5 Squad
Greece 1995 Final 1st 7 6 1 19 6 Squad
Netherlands 1997 Semifinals 3rd 7 5 2 15 8 Squad
Austria 1999 Final 1st 5 4 1 13 5 Squad
Czech Republic 2001 Final 2nd 7 4 3 14 10 Squad
Austria 2003 Final 1st 7 7 0 21 4 Squad
Italy 2005 Final 1st 7 6 1 19 8 Squad
Russia 2007 2nd round 6th 6 4 2 14 11 Squad
Turkey 2009 2nd round 10th 6 2 4 8 12 Squad
AustriaCzech Republic 2011 Final 2nd 6 4 2 15 8 Squad
DenmarkPoland 2013 Final 2nd 6 4 2 15 9 Squad
ItalyBulgaria 2015 Semifinals 3rd 7 5 2 18 7 Squad
Poland 2017 Quarterfinals 5th 5 3 2 11 6 Squad
FranceSloveniaBelgiumNetherlands 2019 Quarterfinals 6th 7 5 2 16 9 Squad
PolandCzech RepublicEstoniaFinland 2021 Final 1st 9 9 0 27 5 Squad
ItalyBulgariaNorth MacedoniaIsrael 2023 Final 2nd 9 8 1 24 7 Squad
Total 7 titles 31/32 228 151 77 430 330 -
  • Sweden 1989 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Anastasi, Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, De Giorgi, Gardini, Lucchetta, Margutti, Masciarelli, Passani, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
  • Finland 1993 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Bellini, Bracci, Cantagalli, Galli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Martinelli, Pasinato, Pippi, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
  • Greece 1995 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Bernardi, Bovolenta, Bracci, Cantagalli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Meoni, Papi, Pasinato, Tofoli, Andrea Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
  • Austria 1999 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Bracci, Corsano, Gardini, Giani, Giombini, Gravina, Meoni, Mastrangelo, Papi, Rosalba, Sartoretti, Tofoli. Head Coach: Anastasi
  • Germany 2003 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Biribanti, Černič, Cozzi, Fei, Giani, Mastrangelo, Meoni, Papi, Pippi, Sartoretti, Savani, Vermiglio. Head Coach: Montali
  • Italy Serbia and Montenegro 2005 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Černič, Cisolla, Corsano, Cozzi, Fei, Łasko, Mastrangelo, Paparoni, Savani, Sintini, Tencati, Vermiglio. Head Coach: Montali
  • PolandCzech RepublicEstoniaFinland 2021 — Gold medal with cup.svg Gold medal
    Anzani, Balaso, Bottolo, Cortesia, Galassi, Giannelli, Lavia, Michieletto, Piccinelli, Pinali, Ricci, Recine, Romanò, Sbertoli. Head Coach: De Giorgi

European Games

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

European Games record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL Squad
Azerbaijan 2015 Baku 1st round 11th 5 0 5 4 15 Squad
Belarus 2019 Minsk Volleyball not held
Poland 2023 Kraków
Total 0 titles 1/1 5 0 5 4 15 -

Mediterranean Games

  • 1959 — 1 gold medal
  • 1963 — 2 silver medal
  • 1975 — 2 silver medal
  • 1979 — Fourth place
  • 1983 — 1 gold medal
  • 1987 — 3 bronze medal
  • 1991 — 1 gold medal
  • 1997 — Fourth place
  • 2001 — 1 gold medal
  • 2005 — Fifth place
  • 2009 — 1 gold medal
  • 2013 — 1 gold medal
  • 2018 — 1 gold medal
  • 2022 — 3 bronze medal
  • 2026 — Future event

Goodwill Games

     Champions       Runners up       Third place       Fourth place

Goodwill Games record
Year Round Position GP MW ML SW SL
Soviet Union 1986 Did not participate
United States 1990 Final Champions 5 4 1 14 6
Total 1 titles 1/2 5 4 1 14 6
  • United States 1990 — 1 Gold medal

Team

Current roster

The following is the Italian roster in the 2023 FIVB Men's Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

Head coach: Italy Ferdinando De Giorgi

No. Name Date of birth Height Weight Spike Block 2023–24 club
5 Alessandro Michieletto 5 December 2001 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 357 cm (141 in) 321 cm (126 in) Italy Diatec Trentino
6 Simone Giannelli (C) 9 August 1996 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 92 kg (203 lb) 350 cm (140 in) 330 cm (130 in) Italy Sir Safety Umbria Volley
7 Fabio Balaso 20 October 1995 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 73 kg (161 lb) 305 cm (120 in) 280 cm (110 in) Italy Cucine Lube Civitanova
8 Riccardo Sbertoli 23 May 1998 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 326 cm (128 in) 246 cm (97 in) Italy Diatec Trentino
10 Leonardo Scanferla 4 December 1998 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 76 kg (168 lb) 305 cm (120 in) 280 cm (110 in) Italy Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
12 Mattia Bottolo 3 January 2000 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 340 cm (130 in) 319 cm (126 in) Italy Cucine Lube Civitanova
13 Lorenzo Cortesia 26 September 1999 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 75 kg (165 lb) 328 cm (129 in) 300 cm (120 in) Italy WithU Verona
14 Gianluca Galassi 24 July 1997 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 94 kg (207 lb) 350 cm (140 in) 325 cm (128 in) Italy Vero Volley Milano
15 Daniele Lavia 4 November 1999 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 89 kg (196 lb) 345 cm (136 in) 315 cm (124 in) Italy Diatec Trentino
16 Yuri Romanò 26 July 1997 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 89 kg (196 lb) 350 cm (140 in) 343 cm (135 in) Italy Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
20 Tommaso Rinaldi 9 November 2001 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 350 cm (140 in) 338 cm (133 in) Italy Valsa Group Modena
23 Alessandro Bovolenta 27 May 2004 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 90 kg (200 lb) 352 cm (139 in) 340 cm (130 in) Italy Robur Ravenna
28 Giovanni Sanguinetti 14 April 2000 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 346 cm (136 in) 317 cm (125 in) Italy Valsa Group Modena
30 Leandro Mosca 5 September 2000 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 90 kg (200 lb) 360 cm (140 in) 335 cm (132 in) Italy WithU Volley Verona

Coach history

  • Pietro Bernardi (1947)
  • Angelo Costa (1947-1949)
  • Renzo Del Chicca (1949-1953)
  • Ivan Trinajstic (1953-1966)
  • Josef Kozak (1966-1969)
  • Odone Federzoni (1969-1974)
  • Odone Federzoni & Josef Kozak (1970)
  • Franco Anderlini (1974-1976)
  • Adriano Pavlica (1976-1977)
  • Edward Skorek (1978 ad interim)
  • Carmelo Pittera (1978-1982 + 1988)
  • Nino Cuco (1981 ad interim)
  • Silvano Prandi (1983-1986)
  • Aleksander Skiba (1987)
  • Michelangelo Lo Bianco (1988 ad interim)
  • Julio Velasco (1988-1996)
  • Angelo Frigoni (1990-1991 ad interim - World League)
  • Daniele Bagnoli (1992 ad interim - World League)
  • Paulo Roberto de Freitas (1996-1998)
  • Andrea Anastasi (1998-2002)
  • Kim Ho-Chul (2001)
  • Gian Paolo Montali (2002-2007)
  • Andrea Anastasi (2007-2010)
  • Mauro Berruto (2010-2015)
  • Gianlorenzo Blengini (2015-2021)
  • Antonio Valentini (2021 - Volley Nations League)
  • Ferdinando De Giorgi (2021-)

Record attendance

  • Table updated to August 12, 2012.
# Player Appearances
1 Andrea Giani 474
2 Andrea Gardini 418
3 Luigi Mastrangelo 363
4 Samuele Papi 361
5 Marco Bracci 347
6 Paolo Tofoli 342
7 Luca Cantagalli 330
8 Ferdinando De Giorgi 330
9 Andrea Sartoretti 330
10 Andrea Zorzi 325

Kit providers

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

Period Kit provider
2000–2008 Nike
Asics
2008–2021 Asics
Armani
Errea

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.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de voleibol de Italia para niños

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