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.[1]
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.[2]
Olympic Games
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| Olympic Games record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad | |
| 1964 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1968 | |||||||||
| 1972 | |||||||||
| 1976 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 15 | Squad | |
| 1980 | 1st round | 9th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | Squad | |
| 1984 | Semifinals | Bronze | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 | Squad | |
| 1988 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 13 | Squad | |
| 1992 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 | Squad | |
| 1996 | Final | Silver | 8 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 5 | Squad | |
| 2000 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 8 | Squad | |
| 2004 | Final | Silver | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 11 | Squad | |
| 2008 | Semifinals | 4th | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 14 | Squad | |
| 2012 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 | Squad | |
| 2016 | Final | Silver | 8 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 10 | Squad | |
| 2020 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | Squad | |
| 2024 | Semifinals | 4th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 10 | Squad | |
| 2028 | Future events | ||||||||
| 2032 | |||||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 13/16 | 90 | 58 | 32 | 194 | 135 | — | |
World Championship
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Championship record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1949 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | Squad |
| 1952 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1956 | 1st round | 14th | 10 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 14 | Squad |
| 1960 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1962 | 1st round | 14th | 11 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 23 | Squad |
| 1966 | 1st round | 16th | 11 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 31 | Squad |
| 1970 | 1st round | 15th | 11 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 28 | Squad |
| 1974 | 1st round | 19th | 11 | 7 | 4 | 24 | 14 | Squad |
| 1978 | Final | 2nd | 10 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 12 | Squad |
| 1982 | 1st round | 14th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 12 | Squad |
| 1986 | 2nd round | 11th | 8 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 18 | Squad |
| 1990 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| 1994 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 6 | Squad |
| 1998 | Final | 1st | 12 | 11 | 1 | 33 | 7 | Squad |
| 2002 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 9 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 14 | Squad |
| 2006 | 2nd round | 5th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 13 | Squad |
| 2010 | Semifinals | 4th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 12 | Squad |
| 2014 | 2nd round | 13th | 9 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 22 | Squad |
| 2018 | 3rd round | 5th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 11 | Squad |
| 2022 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 4 | Squad |
| 2025 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 4 | Squad |
| 2027 | Qualified | |||||||
| 2029 | Future event | |||||||
| Total | 5 titles | 19/21 | 176 | 113 | 63 | 396 | 261 | — |
World Cup
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1965 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1969 | ||||||||
| 1977 | ||||||||
| 1981 | - | 7th | 7 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 18 | Squad |
| 1985 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1989 | - | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 5 | Squad |
| 1991 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1995 | - | 1st | 11 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 3 | Squad |
| 1999 | - | 3rd | 11 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 14 | Squad |
| 2003 | - | 2nd | 11 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 8 | Squad |
| 2007 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2011 | - | 4th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 15 | Squad |
| 2015 | - | 2nd | 11 | 10 | 1 | 30 | 8 | Squad |
| 2019 | - | 7th | 11 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 19 | Squad |
| Total | 1 title | 8/14 | 80 | 58 | 22 | 189 | 90 | - |
- 1995 — Gold medal
World Grand Champions Cup
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Grand Champions Cup record (Defunct) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1993 | - | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 4 | Squad |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2001 | ||||||||
| 2005 | - | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
| 2009 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2013 | - | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 10 | Squad |
| 2017 | - | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 8 | Squad |
| Total | 1 title | 4/7 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 52 | 28 | - |
World League
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World League record (Defunct) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1990 | Final | 1st | 14 | 11 | 3 | 37 | 21 | Squad |
| 1991 | Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 52 | 16 | Squad |
| 1992 | Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 50 | 17 | Squad |
| 1993 | Semifinals | 3rd | 22 | 20 | 2 | 62 | 17 | Squad |
| 1994 | Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 38 | 19 | Squad |
| 1995 | Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 | Squad |
| 1996 | Final | 2nd | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 | Squad |
| 1997 | Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 47 | 17 | Squad |
| 1998 | Final Round | 4th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 26 | Squad |
| 1999 | Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 42 | 20 | Squad |
| 2000 | Final | 1st | 18 | 13 | 5 | 44 | 33 | Squad |
| 2001 | Final | 2nd | 17 | 12 | 5 | 41 | 24 | Squad |
| 2002 | Semifinals | 4th | 17 | 14 | 3 | 44 | 19 | Squad |
| 2003 | Semifinals | 3rd | 17 | 10 | 7 | 37 | 27 | Squad |
| 2004 | Final | 2nd | 15 | 9 | 6 | 34 | 22 | Squad |
| 2005 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 26 | Squad |
| 2006 | 2nd round | 6th | 16 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 31 | Squad |
| 2007 | 1st round | 9th | 12 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 30 | Squad |
| 2008 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 22 | Squad |
| 2009 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 17 | Squad |
| 2010 | 2nd round | 6th | 14 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 21 | Squad |
| 2011 | 2nd round | 6th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 18 | Squad |
| 2012 | 1st round | 11th | 12 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 28 | Squad |
| 2013 | Semifinals | 3rd | 14 | 10 | 4 | 35 | 23 | Squad |
| 2014 | Semifinals | 3rd | 16 | 9 | 7 | 33 | 25 | Squad |
| 2015 | 2nd round | 5th | 14 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 31 | Squad |
| 2016 | Semifinals | 4th | 13 | 7 | 6 | 25 | 20 | Squad |
| 2017 | 1st round | 12th | 9 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 23 | Squad |
| Total | 8 titles | 28/28 | 425 | 287 | 138 | 1000 | 631 | - |
- 1990 Osaka — Gold medal
- Gardini, Margutti, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Masciarelli, Anastasi, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Zorzi, Lucchetta, Giazzoli, Pasinato, Petrelli, Martinelli, Loro, Gallia. Head coach: Velasco
- 1991 Milan — 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
- 1992 Genoa — Gold medal
- Gardini, Martinelli, Margutti, De Giorgi, Tofoli, Masciarelli, Galli, Bracci, Bernardi, Cantagalli, Zorzi, Lucchetta, Giani, Giazzoli, Pasinato. Head coach: Velasco
- 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
- 1997 Moscow — Gold medal
- 1999 Mar del Plata — Gold medal
- 2000 Rotterdam — Gold medal
Nations League
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| Nations League record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 2018 | Preliminary Round | 8th | 15 | 8 | 7 | 30 | 28 | Squad |
| 2019 | Preliminary Round | 8th | 15 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 25 | Squad |
| 2020 | Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
| 2021 | Preliminary Round | 10th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 33 | Squad |
| 2022 | Final Round | 4th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 16 | Squad |
| 2023 | Semifinals | 4th | 15 | 10 | 5 | 33 | 21 | Squad |
| 2024 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 13 | 9 | 4 | 31 | 17 | Squad |
| 2025 | Final | 2nd | 15 | 12 | 3 | 39 | 19 | Squad |
| Total | 0 title(s) | 7/7 | 105 | 65 | 38 | 227 | 159 | – |
European Championship
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| European Championship record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1948 | - | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
| 1950 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1951 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | Squad |
| 1955 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
| 1958 | 1st round | 10th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 19 | Squad |
| 1963 | 1st round | 10th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 15 | Squad |
| 1967 | Final Round | 8th | 10 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 25 | Squad |
| 1971 | 1st round | 8th | 8 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 10 | Squad |
| 1975 | 1st round | 10th | 7 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 17 | Squad |
| 1977 | 1st round | 8th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | Squad |
| 1979 | Final Round | 5th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | Squad |
| 1981 | 1st round | 7th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 9 | Squad |
| 1983 | Final Round | 4th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 16 | Squad |
| 1985 | Final Round | 6th | 7 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 18 | Squad |
| 1987 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 14 | Squad |
| 1989 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 7 | Squad |
| 1991 | Final | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| 1993 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 5 | Squad |
| 1995 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 6 | Squad |
| 1997 | Semifinals | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
| 1999 | Final | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 5 | Squad |
| 2001 | Final | 2nd | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 10 | Squad |
| 2003 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 4 | Squad |
| 2005 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 8 | Squad |
| 2007 | 2nd round | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 11 | Squad |
| 2009 | 2nd round | 10th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | Squad |
| 2011 | Final | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
| 2013 | Final | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 9 | Squad |
| 2015 | Semifinals | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| 2017 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
| 2019 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 9 | Squad |
| 2021 | Final | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 5 | Squad |
| 2023 | Final | 2nd | 9 | 8 | 1 | 24 | 7 | Squad |
| 2026 | Qualified as co-host | Squad | ||||||
| Total | 7 titles | 31/32 | 228 | 151 | 77 | 430 | 330 | - |
European Games
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| European Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 2015 Baku | 1st round | 11th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | Squad |
| 2019 Minsk | volleyball tournament not held | |||||||
| 2023 Kraków | ||||||||
| 2027 Istanbul | TBD | |||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 1/1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | - |
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
| Goodwill Games record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
| 1986 | Did not participate | ||||||
| 1990 | Final | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| Total | 1 titles | 1/2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
- 1990 — Gold medal
Team
Current roster
Roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The roster was announced on 8 July 2024.[3]
Head coach: Ferdinando De Giorgi[4]
- 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
- 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.
References
- ^ "Italy Crowned 2025 Volleyball World Champions". WorldofVolley. 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Italy in Hall of Fame
- ^ "Parigi 2024: la lista degli azzurri per le Olimpiadi" [Paris 2024: the list of Italians for the Olympics] (in Italian). Italian Volleyball Federation. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Team roster: Italy" (PDF). Olympics.com. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.