There is plenty of sporting action taking place this summer, with the football tournaments of UEFA Euro 2024 and the Copa America two events that immediately spring to mind. However, perhaps the biggest event of them all is the Olympic Games, and in July and August, they return. Paris is the city that will host the action, and throughout a fortnight, the city of love will be transformed into a city of sporting spectacles.
Volleyball has been a staple in the Summer Games since its introduction back in 1964 in Tokyo. In the decades since, it has captivated audiences with its extraordinary athleticism, teamwork, and unrivaled drama. Even beach volleyball has gotten in on the act and this summer, it is perhaps the one discipline that all the athletes would like to be partaking in considering it will be hosted at a temporarily constructed 12,000-seater stadium at the Champ de Mars, right beside the Eiffel Tower.
For the traditional volleyball event, unfortunately, there will be no such luxury venue. Both the men and women will contest their games at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Over the years, several usual suspects have flexed their muscles to the grandest stage. But which nations come out on top in the all-time medal table? Let’s find out.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union’s dominance in Olympic volleyball was unparalleled, marked by an impressive haul of seven gold medals, four silvers, and one bronze. Their journey began in 1964 when volleyball made its debut in the Land of the Rising Sun. The Soviet men’s outfit clinched the inaugural gold, before going on to successfully retain their crown in Mexico City four years later. The women’s team also claimed gold that year, marking a historic double, and they too would go on to stand on the top step of the podium once again in Munich in 1972.
Throughout the years, the country managed to hold a stranglehold on the sport right up until its dissolution in 1990. Since then, the country has still thrived, albeit under the flags of Russia, ROC, and the Unified Team. Those three have combined to add a gold medal, five silvers, and two bronzes to the total medal haul, with their most recent being a silver medal in 2021 for the ROC men’s team, who lost the gold medal match 3-2 to France.
Highlights:
- 1964 Tokyo: The Soviet men’s team won the first-ever Olympic gold in volleyball.
- 1980 Moscow: Both the men’s and women’s teams triumphed, securing a coveted double gold on home soil.
United States
The United States has made significant strides in Olympic volleyball, amassing a commendable tally of four golds, three silvers, and four bronzes. The teams wearing the famed Stars and Stripes have been competitive fixtures in both indoor and beach volleyball, although it is only the former of those disciplines that we are counting. The latest sports betting online odds make the US a -480 favorite to win their upcoming clash with Serbia in the FIVB Nations League, and with the pedigree they have on the international stage, it’s unsurprising to see them in such a commanding position with the bookmakers.
The men’s team clinched their first gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, capitalizing on home advantage to dispatch Brazil 3-0. They repeated the success four years later in Seoul, continuing the trend of reigning champions going back-to-back. The women’s team, after years of near-misses, finally snagged their first gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and they too will be aiming for consecutive triumphs when the action gets underway in France later this summer.
Highlights:
- 1984 Los Angeles & 1988 Seoul: The U.S. men’s team go back-to-back
- 2008 Beijing & 2012 London: The women’s team secured silver, laying the foundation for future success.
- 2020 Tokyo: That future success finally arrives as the women captured their first-ever Olympic gold.
Brazil
In recent years, Brazil has established itself as a volleyball powerhouse thanks to the country’s passionate fan base and exceptional talent pool. They shone brightest in the beach competition, understandably so when the Copacabana is on one’s doorstep, topping the standings with 13 medals overall, albeit the US has won more golds. But they have also shone in traditional volleyball, despite the journey at the Games beginning later than most.
The Selecao’s golden era commenced in the early 1990s with the men’s team winning their first gold in 1992 in Barcelona. The women’s team followed suit some 16 years later capturing their maiden gold in Beijing before going back-to-back at London 2012. Known for their flair and aggressive style of play, the Brazilians have thrilled spectators across multiple Olympic cycles, and they will be among the favorites to rise to the summit once again in Paris this summer
Highlights:
- 1992 Barcelona: The Brazilian men’s team won their first Olympic gold.
- 2004 Athens & 2016 Rio de Janeiro: The men’s team added two more gold medals, with the latter victory celebrated on home soil.
- 2008 Beijing & 2012 London: Brazilian women’s team secured back-to-back golds
