Italy men's national volleyball team facts for kids
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Nickname(s) | Gli Azzurri (The Blues) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Association | Federazione Italiana Pallavolo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Confederation | CEV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Head coach | Ferdinando De Giorgi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIVB ranking | 3 (as of September 2014) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Uniforms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Summer Olympics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 13 (First in 1976) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | ![]() |
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World Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 19 (First in 1949) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | ![]() |
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FIVB World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 8 (First in 1989) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | ![]() |
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European Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 29 (First in 1948) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best result | ![]() |
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Website | federvolley.it |
The Italy men's national volleyball team represents Italy in international volleyball games. They are often called Gli Azzurri, which means "The Blues". The team is managed by the Italian Volleyball Federation. Italy is one of the most successful volleyball teams in history. They have won four World Championships, seven European Championships, one World Cup, and eight World League titles. Italy is currently the reigning World Champion, having won the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
Team Achievements
The Italian men's national volleyball team has a rich history of winning. They have achieved great success in many major tournaments around the world.
The Golden Team Era
In 1989, Julio Velasco became the coach of the Italian team. He quickly led them to a gold medal at the European Championships that same year. His team won this championship two more times in 1993 and 1995. They also earned a silver medal at the World Cup in 1989.
Velasco focused on making the team work together as a strong unit, rather than relying on individual players. He was very detailed and demanding, but he knew how to win. From 1990, the Italian team dominated world volleyball for five years. They won gold medals at the World Championships in 1990 and 1994. They also won the World League five times between 1990 and 1995. In 1996, they won a silver medal at the Olympic Games.
Julio Velasco left the team in 1996. During his time, he built a "Golden Team" with famous players like Zorzi, Andrea Gardini, Giani, Bernardi, and Papi.
Olympic Games Record
Italy has competed in the Olympic Games many times. They have won several silver and bronze medals. Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Olympic Games Record | |||||||
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Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
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Did not qualify | ||||||
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1st round | 8th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 15 |
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1st round | 9th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
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Semifinals | Bronze | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 |
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1st round | 9th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 13 |
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Quarterfinals | 5th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 |
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Final | Silver | 8 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 5 |
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Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 8 |
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Final | Silver | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 11 |
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Semifinals | 4th | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 14 |
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Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 |
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Final | Silver | 8 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 10 |
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Quarterfinals | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 |
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Semifinals | 4th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 10 |
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Future events | ||||||
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Total | 0 titles | 13/16 | 90 | 58 | 32 | 194 | 135 |
World Championship Success
Italy has won the World Championship four times, showing their strength in global competitions. Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
1990 —
Gold medal
1994 —
Gold medal
1998 —
Gold medal
- Bracci, Corsano, Fei, Gardini, Giani, De Giorgi, Gravina, Meoni, Papi, Pasinato, Rosalba, Sartoretti. Head Coach: Bebeto
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2022 —
Gold medal
- Anzani, Balaso, Bottolo, Galassi, Giannelli, Lavia, Michieletto, Mosca, Pinali, Recine, Romanò, Russo, Sbertoli, Scanferla. Head Coach: De Giorgi
World Cup Appearances
Italy has also performed well in the World Cup, winning one gold medal. Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Grand Champions Cup Record
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World League Dominance
Italy has won the World League eight times, making them one of the most successful teams in this former competition. Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World League Record (No longer held) | |||||||
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Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
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Final | 1st | 14 | 11 | 3 | 37 | 21 |
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Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 52 | 16 |
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Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 50 | 17 |
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Semifinals | 3rd | 22 | 20 | 2 | 62 | 17 |
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Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 38 | 19 |
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Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 |
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Final | 2nd | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 |
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Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 47 | 17 |
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Final Round | 4th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 26 |
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Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 42 | 20 |
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Final | 1st | 18 | 13 | 5 | 44 | 33 |
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Final | 2nd | 17 | 12 | 5 | 41 | 24 |
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Semifinals | 4th | 17 | 14 | 3 | 44 | 19 |
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Semifinals | 3rd | 17 | 10 | 7 | 37 | 27 |
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Final | 2nd | 15 | 9 | 6 | 34 | 22 |
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1st round | 7th | 12 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 26 |
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2nd round | 6th | 16 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 31 |
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1st round | 9th | 12 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 30 |
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1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 22 |
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1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 17 |
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2nd round | 6th | 14 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 21 |
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2nd round | 6th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 18 |
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1st round | 11th | 12 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 28 |
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Semifinals | 3rd | 14 | 10 | 4 | 35 | 23 |
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Semifinals | 3rd | 16 | 9 | 7 | 33 | 25 |
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2nd round | 5th | 14 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 31 |
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Semifinals | 4th | 13 | 7 | 6 | 25 | 20 |
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1st round | 12th | 9 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 23 |
Total | 8 titles | 28/28 | 425 | 287 | 138 | 1000 | 631 |
1990 Osaka —
Gold medal
1991 Milan —
Gold medal
1992 Genoa —
Gold medal
1994 Milan —
Gold medal
- Gardini, Martinelli, Gravina, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Papi, Sartoretti, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Margutti, Pippi, Giani, Bellini, Pasinato, Rinaldi, Fangareggi, Giretto. Head coach: Velasco
1995 Rio de Janeiro —
Gold medal
- Fangareggi, Rosalba, Gravina, De Giorgi, Botti, Papi, Sartoretti, Verniaghi, Giazzoli, Bonati, Radicioni, Pippi, Giani, Bellini, Pasinato, Bovolenta, Meoni, Giretto. Head coach: Velasco
1997 Moscow —
Gold medal
- Gardini, Meoni, Gravina, Bendani, Fangareggi, Papi, Giombini, Sartoretti, Casoli, Rosalba, Zlatanov, Pippi, Giani, Bovolenta, Bonati, Patriarca, Bellini. Head coach: de Freitas
1999 Mar del Plata —
Gold medal
- Vermiglio, Meoni, Mastrangelo, Fei, Papi, Sartoretti, Casoli, Rosalba, Zlatanov, Corsano, Bellini, Bovolenta, Giombini, Molteni. Head coach: Anastasi
2000 Rotterdam —
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 Results
The Nations League is a newer competition where Italy has also shown strong performances. Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
European Championship Victories
Italy has won the European Championship seven times, showing their strength in European volleyball. Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
1989 —
Gold medal
1993 —
Gold medal
1995 —
Gold medal
- Bernardi, Bovolenta, Bracci, Cantagalli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Meoni, Papi, Pasinato, Tofoli, Andrea Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
1999 —
Gold medal
- Bracci, Corsano, Gardini, Giani, Giombini, Gravina, Meoni, Mastrangelo, Papi, Rosalba, Sartoretti, Tofoli. Head Coach: Anastasi
2003 —
Gold medal
- Biribanti, Černič, Cozzi, Fei, Giani, Mastrangelo, Meoni, Papi, Pippi, Sartoretti, Savani, Vermiglio. Head Coach: Montali
2005 —
Gold medal
- Černič, Cisolla, Corsano, Cozzi, Fei, Łasko, Mastrangelo, Paparoni, Savani, Sintini, Tencati, Vermiglio. Head Coach: Montali
2021 —
Gold medal
- Anzani, Balaso, Bottolo, Cortesia, Galassi, Giannelli, Lavia, Michieletto, Piccinelli, Pinali, Ricci, Recine, Romanò, Sbertoli. Head Coach: De Giorgi
Mediterranean Games Medals
Italy has won many medals at the 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
Goodwill Games Medal
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Goodwill Games Record | |||||||
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Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
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Did not participate | ||||||
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Final | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
Total | 1 titles | 1/2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
Team Information
This section provides details about the current team and its history.
Current Roster
Here is the team roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Head coach: Ferdinando De Giorgi
- 5 Alessandro Michieletto OH
- 6 Simone Giannelli (c) S
- 7 Fabio Balaso L
- 8 Riccardo Sbertoli S
- 11 Giovanni Sanguinetti MB
- 12 Mattia Bottolo OH
- 14 Gianluca Galassi MB
- 15 Daniele Lavia OH
- 16 Yuri Romanò OP
- 19 Roberto Russo MB
- 23 Alessandro Bovolenta OP
- 31 Luca Porro OH
Coach History
Many coaches have led the Italian national volleyball team over the years.
- 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-)
Player Appearances Record
This table shows the players with the most appearances for the Italian national team (updated to August 12, 2012).
# | Player | Appearances |
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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 |
Team Support
This section covers the companies that provide kits and sponsorships for the team.
Kit Providers
Here is a list of companies that have provided kits for the Italy national volleyball team.
Period | Kit provider |
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2000–2008 | Nike Asics |
2008–2021 | Asics Armani Errea |
Sponsorship
The team has several important sponsors. These include main sponsors like DHL, Kinder (Ferrero SpA), Honda, and Mizuno. Other sponsors are Santal, Diadora, EthicSport, Reaxing, Crai, Nutrilite, Uliveto, and Winform.
Media Coverage
Italy's matches and friendly games are shown on TV by RAI and Rai Sport.
See also
In Spanish: Selección de voleibol de Italia para niños