After Italy’s nail-biting 3-2 victory over Brazil in the World Championship semifinal, the voices of the Azzurre revealed the grit, unity, and belief that carried them into the grand final against Türkiye.
Coach Julio Velasco:
“One of the best qualities of this team is that it never gives up, no matter the difficulties. Fahr injured her ankle during warm-up, Orro turned hers in the second set – situations that could have knocked us out mentally. But the girls stayed focused and fought until the very end. We can’t expect everything to go as smoothly as last year, but winning battles like this in tough conditions makes it extraordinary.”
Velasco also emphasized respect for Brazil:
“They are a great team with an incredible tradition. This was not the ‘real final’ as some might say – the final is tomorrow, against Türkiye.”
Ekaterina Antropova:
“This is a victory of heart and character. We looked into each other’s eyes and played as one. That spirit carried us through every difficult moment, and that’s why this win is so special.”
Captain Myriam Sylla:
“We started tense, maybe overthinking our past semifinal against them in the Netherlands. But we didn’t let history repeat itself. Even with the ankle problems early on, we stayed together. I’m extremely proud of how we fought as a group.”
Italy now prepares for a high-stakes final against Türkiye, while Brazil will battle Japan for bronze.
- FIVB WC W: taly’s Heroes Speak Out After Epic Win Over Brazil
- FIVB WC W: Italy Edge Brazil in Five-Set Thriller to Reach Final Against Türkiye
- Turkiye Reaches World Championship Final After Beating Japan
- Türkiye Defeats USA 3-1 to Reach World Championship Semifinal
- FIVB WC W: Italy and Brazil Set for Semifinal Showdown in Bangkok
