Volleyball stars are coming to Manila for the 2025 FIVB Males’s World Championship.
The medalists from the 2024 Paris Olympics, France, Poland, and the USA, in addition to podium finishers from the 2022 FIVB World Championship, Italy and Brazil, are set to compete in Manila. They are going to be joined by crowd favorites Japan and, in fact, hometown staff Alas Pilipinas.
Listed here are a number of the volleyball stars making their technique to the Philippines, according to Volleyball World:
Earvin N’Gapeth (France)
Again-to-back Olympic gold medalists France will function exterior hitter Earvin N’Gapeth of their lineup. N’Gapeth was named Most Helpful Participant in France’s gold medal runs on the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.
Along with N’Gapeth, the remainder of France’s gold medal-winning core will probably be current, together with Stephen Boyer, a Tokyo Olympic staff member who missed this 12 months’s VNL.
Bartosz Kurek, Jakub Kochanowski and Wilfredo Leon (Poland)
Celebrity Bartosz Kurek and VNL 2025 MVP and center blocker Jakub Kochanowski headline the Polish roster alongside exterior hitter Wilfredo Leon, who first gained worldwide fame by main Cuba to silver within the 2010 World Championship at simply 17 years outdated. Leon later modified federations to Poland and was a part of their 2024 Olympic silver medal staff.
Roberto Russo, Simone Giannelli, and Alessandro Michieletto (Italy)
Defending champions Italy will convey center blocker Roberto Russo, exterior hitter Alessandro Michieletto, and setter Simone Giannelli. Giannelli was additionally a key member of Italy’s 2016 Rio Olympic silver medal squad.
Maique Reis Nascimento (Brazil)
VNL 2025 bronze medalist and Greatest Libero Maique Reis Nascimento, together with the complete roster of 14 gamers who competed in the newest VNL, are anticipated to return for the World Championship.
Micah Christenson, Erik Shoji, and Taylor Averill (USA)
Olympic bronze medalists and crowd favorites USA are returning to the Philippines. Setter Micah Christenson, libero Erik Shoji, and center blocker Taylor Averill beforehand captivated Filipino followers throughout final 12 months’s VNL.
Ran Takahashi, Yuki Ishikawa, and Kento Miyaura (Japan)
Crowd darlings Ryujin Nippon are heading again to the Philippines with stars Ran Takahashi and Yuki Ishikawa (exterior hitters), and reverse Kento Miyaura. Japan gained bronze within the 2023 VNL and silver within the 2024 version. Rising star Masato Kai can also be coming to city.
Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas (Philippines)
In fact, the Philippines’ very personal Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas will headline Alas Pilipinas of their FIVB Males’s World Championship debut. Each have been longtime members of the nationwide staff and had been a part of the nation’s silver medal squad within the 2019 Southeast Asian Video games. In addition they performed professionally abroad, together with stints in Japan.
Except for these, Nimir Abdel-Aziz of the Netherlands, Bulgaria’s Simeon and Aleksandar Nikolov, and Jan Kozamernik of Slovenia are additionally anticipated to see motion in Manila.
—JKC, GMA Built-in Information
