Italy are the kings of men’s volleyball once again! In front of more than 15,600 fans in Pasay City, Philippines, the Azzurri defeated Bulgaria 3-1 (25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10) to win the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
This marks Italy’s second consecutive and fifth overall world title, adding to their triumphs in 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2022. Bulgaria, meanwhile, settled for their second-ever silver medal after last finishing runners-up in 1970. Earlier, Poland beat Czechia to claim bronze.
Bottolo and Romano Lead the Charge
Italy’s victory was powered by outstanding serving runs. Mattia Bottolo hammered seven aces, finishing with 19 points, while Yuri Romano stole the show with 22 points, including five consecutive aces in the second set. Alessandro Michieletto also chipped in with 11 points.
Italy dominated in attack (46-43 spike kills), blocking (10-4), and aces (13-4). Their serve pressure proved decisive, especially in the closing set where Bottolo’s runs set up the emphatic finish.
Bulgaria’s Bright Star: Aleksandar Nikolov
Despite the loss, 21-year-old Aleksandar Nikolov shone as the tournament’s top scorer. The Bulgarian outside hitter registered 23 points in the final and finished the competition with 173 points overall, cementing his status as one of volleyball’s brightest young stars. Teammate Martin Atanasov added 11 points, while Asparuh Asparuhov contributed five.
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