Italy men's national volleyball team

Italy
Nickname(s)	Gli Azzurri (The Blues)
Association	Federazione Italiana Pallavolo (in Italian)
Confederation	CEV
Head coach	Ferdinando De Giorgi
FIVB ranking	9 (as of June 28, 2021)
Uniforms
Summer Olympics
Appearances	11 (First in 1976)
Best result	(1996, 2004, 2016)
World Championship
Appearances	17 (First in 1949)
Best result	(1990, 1994, 1998)
World Cup
Appearances	7 (First in 1989)
Best result	(1995)
European Championship
Appearances	29 (First in 1948)
Best result	(1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005)
	www.federvolley.it
Medal record
Olympics
World Championship
World Cup
World Grand Champions Cup
World League
European Championship
Universiade
Mediterranean Games
Goodwill Games

The Italy men's national volleyball team represents the country in international competitions and friendly matches. It dominated international volleyball competitions in the 1990s and early 2000s, by winning three World Championships in a row (1990, 1994 and 1998), six European Championships, one World Cup (1995) and eight World League (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000). However, the team has yet to win the olympic gold at the Summer Olympics, which it never missed since 1976.

Medals[edit]

Competition				Total
Olympic Games	0	3	3	6
World Championship	3	1	0	4
World Cup	1	3	1	5
World Grand Champions Cup	1	1	2	4
World League	8	3	4	15
European Championship	6	4	3	13
Universiade	2	1	5	8
Mediterranean Games	7	2	1	10
Goodwill Games	1	0	0	1
Total	29	18	19	66

Result history[edit]

Italy national team at 2008 Summer Olympics

Golden Team[edit]

In 1989, Julio Velasco was hired to coach the Italian National Men's Team. He immediately led them to a gold medal at the European Championships in 1989, which 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. He emphasized the concept of the “square”, team unity where the team was better than the sum of its players. He was meticulous, well prepared and very demanding, but he knew how to win. 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, 1991, the Mediterranean Games, and the 1993 Grand Champions Cup. They won a silver medal at the 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.^[1]

Olympic Games[edit]

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	Future events
2028
2032
Total	0 Titles	12/15	84	54	32	182	125	—

World Championship[edit]

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 Qualified
1956	1st Round	15th	10	6	4	22	14	Squad
1960	Did Not Qualified
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
Total	3 Titles	17/19	162	100	62	355	253	-

1990 — Gold medal
Anastasi, Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, De Giorgi, Gardini, Giani, Lucchetta, Martinelli, Masciarelli, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
1994 — Gold medal
Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, Gardini, Giani, De Giorgi, Giretto, Gravina, Papi, Pippi, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
1998 — Gold medal
Bracci, Corsano, Fei, Gardini, Giani, De Giorgi, Gravina, Meoni, Papi, Pasinato, Rosalba, Sartoretti. Head Coach: Bebeto

World Cup[edit]

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place

World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	MW	ML	SW	SL	Squad
1965	Did Not Qualified
1969
1977
1981	-	7th	7	1	6	9	18	Squad
1985	Did Not Qualified
1989	-	2nd	7	6	1	20	5	Squad
1991	Did Not Qualified
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 Qualified
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[edit]

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place

World Grand Champions Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	MW	ML	SW	SL	Squad
1993	-	1st	5	5	0	15	4	Squad
1997	Did Not Qualified
2001	Did Not Qualified
2005	-	3rd	5	3	2	11	6	Squad
2009	Did Not Qualified
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	-

1993 — Gold medal
Bracci, Galli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Zorzi, Cantagalli, Bellini, Pippi, Pasinato, Bernardi. Head Coach: Velasco

World League[edit]

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place

World League record
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
Fangareggi, Rosalba, Gravina, De Giorgi, Botti, Papi, Sartoretti, Verniaghi, Giazzoli, Bonati, Radicioni, Pippi, Giani, Bellini, Pasinato, Bovolenta, Meoni, Giretto. Head coach: Velasco
1997 Moscow — Gold medal
Gardini, Meoni, Gravina, Bendani, Fangareggi, Papi, Giombini, Sartoretti, Casoli, Rosalba, Zlatanov, Pippi, Giani, Bovolenta, Bonati, Patriarca, Bellini. Head coach: de Freitas
1999 Mar del Plata — Gold medal
Vermiglio, Meoni, Mastrangelo, Fei, Papi, Sartoretti, Casoli, Rosalba, Zlatanov, Corsano, Bellini, Bovolenta, Giombini, Molteni. Head coach: Anastasi
2000 Rotterdam — Gold medal
Gardini, Meoni, Gravina, Mastrangelo, Tofoli, Papi, Sartoretti, Bracci, Bernardi, Rosalba, Molteni, Corsano, Giani, Fei, Castellano, Bovolenta, Giombini, Vermiglio. Head coach: Anastasi

Nations League[edit]

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place

Nations League record
Year	Round	Position	GP	MW	ML	SW	SL	Squad
2018	1st Round	8th	15	8	7	30	28	Squad
2019	1st Round	8th	15	8	7	31	25	Squad
2021	1st Round	10th	15	8	7	28	33	Squad
Total	0 Titles	3/3	45	24	21	89	86	-

European Championship[edit]

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 Qualified
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			6	6	0	18	2
Total	6 Titles	31/32	216	140	76	397	320	-

1989 — Gold medal
Anastasi, Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, De Giorgi, Gardini, Lucchetta, Margutti, Masciarelli, Passani, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
1993 — Gold medal
Bellini, Bracci, Cantagalli, Galli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Martinelli, Pasinato, Pippi, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
1995 — Gold medal
Bernardi, Bovolenta, Bracci, Cantagalli, Gardini, Giani, Gravina, Meoni, Papi, Pasinato, Tofoli, Andrea Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
1999 — Gold medal
Bracci, Corsano, Gardini, Giani, Giombini, Gravina, Meoni, Mastrangelo, Papi, Rosalba, Sartoretti, Tofoli. Head Coach: Anastasi
2003 — Gold medal
Biribanti, Černič, Cozzi, Fei, Giani, Mastrangelo, Meoni, Papi, Pippi, Sartoretti, Savani, Vermiglio. Head Coach: Montali
2005 — Gold medal
Černič, Cisolla, Corsano, Cozzi, Fei, Łasko, Mastrangelo, Paparoni, Savani, Sintini, Tencati, Vermiglio. Head Coach: Montali

Mediterranean Games[edit]

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

Goodwill Games[edit]

1986 – did not participate
1990 — gold medal

Team[edit]

Current roster[edit]

The following is the Italian roster in the 2021 Men's European Volleyball Championship.^[2]

Head coach:	Ferdinando De Giorgi
Assistants:	Massimo Caponeri, Nicola Giolito

No.	Name	Date of birth	Height	Weight	Spike	Block	2016/17 club
6	Simone Giannelli (C)	9 August 1996	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	92 kg (203 lb)	350 cm (140 in)	330 cm (130 in)	Diatec Trentino
7	Fabio Balaso	20 October 1995	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)	73 kg (161 lb)	305 cm (120 in)	280 cm (110 in)	Kioene Padova
14	Gianluca Galassi	24 July 1997	2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)	102 kg (225 lb)	350 cm (140 in)	325 cm (128 in)	Leo Shoes Modena
15	Riccardo Sbertoli	23 May 1998	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	85 kg (187 lb)	326 cm (128 in)	246 cm (97 in)	Diatec Trentino
16	Yuri Romanò	26 July 1997	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	89 kg (196 lb)	350 cm (140 in)	343 cm (135 in)	Power Volley Milano
17	Simone Anzani	24 February 1992	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)	100 kg (220 lb)	350 cm (140 in)	330 cm (130 in)	Sir Safety Conad Perugia
18	Alessandro Michieletto	5 December 2001	2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)	88 kg (194 lb)	357 cm (141 in)	321 cm (126 in)	Diatec Trentino
19	Daniele Lavia	4 November 1999	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	100 kg (220 lb)	345 cm (136 in)	315 cm (124 in)	Diatec Trentino
21	Alessandro Piccinelli	30 January 1997	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	86 kg (190 lb)	330 cm (130 in)	318 cm (125 in)	Sir Safety Conad Perugia
22	Fabio Ricci	11 July 1994	2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)	92 kg (203 lb)	348 cm (137 in)	328 cm (129 in)	Sir Safety Conad Perugia
23	Giulio Pinali	11 July 1994	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	91 kg (201 lb)	349 cm (137 in)	338 cm (133 in)	Diatec Trentino
26	Lorenzo Cortesia	26 July 1999	2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)	75 kg (165 lb)	328 cm (129 in)	300 cm (120 in)	BluVolley Verona
28	Francesco Recine	7 February 1999	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)	75 kg (165 lb)	325 cm (128 in)	300 cm (120 in)	Gas Sales Piacenza
29	Mattia Bottolo	3 January 2000	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)	77 kg (170 lb)	336 cm (132 in)	316 cm (124 in)	Pallavolo Padova

Coach history[edit]

Pietro Bernardi (1947)
Angelo Costa (1947-1949)
Renzo Del Chicca (1949-1953)
Ivan Trinajstic (1953-1966)
Josef Kozak (1966-1969)
Odone Federzoni (1969-1974)
Josef Kozak (1970)
Franco Anderlini (1974-1976)
Adriano Pavlica (1976-1977)
Edward Skorek (1978)
Carmelo Pittera (1978-1988)
Michelangelo Lo Bianco (1988)
Julio Velasco (1988-1996)
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)
Ferdinando De Giorgi (2021-)

Record Attendance[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Italy's matches and friendlies are currently televised by RAI and Rai Sport.

References[edit]

^ Italy in Hall of Fame
^ [1] - volleyball.it - 13-08-2021

External links[edit]

[1] Italy in Hall of Fame

[2] [1] - volleyball.it - 13-08-2021

[1]

[2]

v t e Volleyball in Italy
Federazione Italiana Pallavolo (FIPAV)
National teams	Men U23 U21 U19 Women U23 U20 U18
League competitions	Italian Super Lega Serie A1 maschile Serie A2 maschile Serie B1 maschile Serie A1 femminile Serie A2 femminile Serie B1 femminile
Cup competitions	Coppa Italia Supercoppa Italia Italian Women's Volleyball Cup Italian Women's Volleyball Super Cup
Others	Italian volleyball players Italian beach volleyball players Expatriate players in Italy Italian coaches Italian clubs Main Arenas

v t e National sports teams of Italy
Unified	A1GP Acceleration Alpine skiing Athletics Badminton Bobsleigh Cycling Diving Equestrian Fencing Korfball Rowing Sailing Shooting Short track skating Swimming Tennis
Men	American football Ball hockey Bandy Baseball Basketball U-20 U-19 U-17 3x3 Beach soccer Canoe polo Cricket Field hockey Football U-21 U-20 U-19 U-18 U-17 U-16 U-15 Futsal Goalball Handball Ice hockey U-20 U-18 Inline hockey Pitch and putt Racquetball Roller hockey Rugby league Rugby union U-20 U-18 7s Speedway Squash Tennis Volleyball U-23 U-21 U-19 Water polo Wheelchair handball
Women	Ball hockey Basketball U-20 U-19 U-17 3x3 Beach handball Canoe polo Cricket Field hockey Floorball Football U-17 Goalball Gymnastics Handball Ice hockey U-18 Inline hockey Roller hockey Rugby league Rugby union 7s Softball U-19 Tennis Volleyball U-23 U-20 U-18 Water polo
Olympics Paralympics Mediterranean Games Universiade World Games Military World Games

Italy men's national volleyball team

Contents

Medals[edit]