Italy men's national volleyball team
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.
Nickname(s) | Gli Azzurri (The Blues) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Federazione Italiana Pallavolo (in Italian) | |||
Confederation | CEV | |||
Head coach | Gianlorenzo Blengini | |||
FIVB ranking | 4 (as of October 2019) | |||
Uniforms | ||||
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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 |
Medals
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
Golden Team
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
Year | Result | Pld | W | L | SW | SL | PW | PL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1964 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1968 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1972 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1976 | 8th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1980 | 9th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1984 | 3rd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1988 | 9th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1992 | 5th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1996 | 2nd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2000 | 3rd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2004 | 2nd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2008 | 4th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2012 | 3rd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2016 | 2nd place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- 1976 Montreal — 8th place
- 1980 Moscow — 9th place
- 1984 Los Angeles — Bronze medal
- Negri, Lucchetta, Dametto, Bertoli, Dall'Olio, Rebaudengo, Errichiello, De Luigi, Vullo, Lanfranco, Vecchi, Andrea Lucchetta. Head coach: Pittera
- 1988 Seoul — 9th place
- Gardini, Giani, P. Lucchetta, De Giorgi, Bracci, Galli, Castagna, Lazzeroni, Bernardi, Zorzi, Cantagalli, A. Lucchetta. Head coach: Pittera
- 1992 Barcelona — 5th place
- 1996 Atlanta — Silver medal
- 2000 Sydney — Bronze medal
- 2004 Athens — Silver medal
- 2008 Beijing — 4th place
- 2012 London — Bronze medal
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro — Silver medal
World Championship
Year | Result | Pld | W | L | SW | SL | PW | PL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1949 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1952 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1956 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1960 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1962 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1966 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1970 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1974 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1978 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1982 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1986 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1990 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1994 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1998 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2002 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2006 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2010 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0/18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- 1949 Czechoslovakia — 8th place
- 1956 France — 14th place
- 1962 Soviet Union — 14th place
- 1966 Czechoslovakia — 16th place
- 1970 Bulgaria — 15th place
- 1974 Mexico — 19th place
- 1978 Italy — Silver medal
- 1982 Argentina — 14th place
- 1986 France — 11th place
- 1990 Brazil — Gold medal
- Anastasi, Bernardi, Bracci, Cantagalli, De Giorgi, Gardini, Giani, Lucchetta, Martinelli, Masciarelli, Tofoli, Zorzi. Head Coach: Velasco
- 1994 Greece — Gold medal
- 1998 Japan — Gold medal
- 2002 Argentina — 5th place
- 2006 Japan — 5th place
- 2010 Italy — 4th place
- 2014 Poland — 13th place
- 2018 Italy/Bulgaria — 5th place
- Davide Candellaro, Luigi Randazzo, Michele Branowicz, Osmany Juantorena, Simone Giannelli, Salvatore Rossini, Daniele Mazzone, Ivan Zaytsev, Filippo Lanza, Enrico Cester, Massimo Colaci, Gabriele Maruotti, Simone Anzani, Gabriele Nelli, Head coach: Gianlorenzo Blengini
World Cup
Year | Result | Pld | W | L | SW | SL | PW | PL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1969 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1977 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1981 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1985 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1989 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1991 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1995 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1999 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2003 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2007 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2011 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2015 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | 7th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
World Grand Champions Cup
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Year | Result | Pld | W | L | SW | SL | PW | PL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1997 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2001 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2005 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2009 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2013 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0/7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
European Championship
- 1948 Italy — Bronze medal
- 1951 France — 8th place
- 1955 Romania — 9th place
- 1958 Czechoslovakia — 10th place
- 1963 Romania — 10th place
- 1967 Turkey — 8th place
- 1971 Italy — 8th place
- 1975 Yugoslavia — 10th place
- 1977 Finland — 8th place
- 1979 France — 5th place
- 1981 Bulgaria — 7th place
- 1983 East Germany — 4th place
- 1985 Netherlands — 6th place
- 1987 Belgium — 9th place
- 1989 Sweden — Gold medal
- 1991 Germany — Silver medal
- 1993 Finland — Gold medal
- 1995 Greece — Gold medal
- 1997 Netherlands — Bronze medal
- 1999 Austria — Gold medal
- 2001 Czech Republic — Silver medal
- 2003 Germany — Gold medal
- 2005 Italy/Serbia and Montenegro — Gold medal
- 2007 Russia — 6th place
- 2009 Turkey — 10th place
- 2011 Austria/Czech Republic — Silver medal
- 2013 Denmark/Poland — Silver medal
- 2015 Bulgaria/Italy — Bronze medal
- 2017 Poland — 5th place
- 2019 France — 6th place
World League
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World League record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | PW | PL |
1990 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1991 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1992 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1993 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1994 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1995 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1996 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1997 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1998 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1999 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2000 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2001 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2002 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2003 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2004 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2005 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2006 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2007 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2008 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2009 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2010 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2011 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2012 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2013 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2015 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2016 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | th place | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0/28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- 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
- 1993 São Paulo — Bronze medal
- 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
- 1996 Rotterdam — Silver medal
- 1997 Moscow — Gold medal
- 1998 Milan — 4th place
- 1999 Mar del Plata — Gold medal
- 2000 Rotterdam — Gold medal
- 2001 Katowice — Silver medal
- 2002 Belo Horizonte — 4th place
- 2003 Madrid — Bronze medal
- 2004 Rome — Silver medal
- 2005 Belgrade — 7th place
- 2006 Moscow — 6th place
- 2007 Katowice — 9th place
- 2008 Rio de Janeiro — 7th place
- 2009 Belgrade — 7th place
- 2010 Córdoba — 6th place
- 2011 Gdańsk — 6th place
- 2012 Sofia — 11th place
- 2013 Mar del Plata — Bronze medal
- 2014 Florence — Bronze medal
- 2015 Rio de Janeiro — 5th place
- 2016 Kraków — 4th place
- 2017 Curitiba — 12th place
Nations League
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Year | Rank | Pld | W | L | SW | SL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 8th place | 15 | 8 | 7 | 30 | 28 |
2019 | 8th place | 15 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 25 |
2020 | qualified | - | - | - | - | - |
2021 | qualified | - | - | - | - | - |
Total | 2/2 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 61 | 53 |
- 2018 Lille — 8th place
- 2019 Chicago — 8th place
Mediterranean Games
Team
Current roster
The following is the Italian roster in the 2017 Men's European Volleyball Championship.[2]
Head coach: | Gianlorenzo Blengini |
Assistants: | Giampaolo Medei, Antonio Valentini |
No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | Spike | Block | 2016/17 club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Luigi Randazzo | 30 April 1994 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 352 cm (139 in) | 255 cm (100 in) | Calzedonia Verona |
4 | Luca Vettori | 26 April 1991 | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 232 cm (91 in) | Azimut Modena |
5 | Luca Spirito | 30 October 1993 | 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) | 79 kg (174 lb) | 338 cm (133 in) | 262 cm (103 in) | Bunge Ravenna |
6 | Simone Giannelli | 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 |
9 | Daniele Mazzone | 4 June 1992 | 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 315 cm (124 in) | 309 cm (122 in) | Diatec Trentino |
10 | Filippo Lanza | 3 March 1991 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Diatec Trentino |
11 | Simone Buti (C) | 19 September 1983 | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 328 cm (129 in) | Sir Sicoma Colussi Perugia |
13 | Massimo Colaci | 21 February 1985 | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | 314 cm (124 in) | 306 cm (120 in) | Diatec Trentino |
14 | Matteo Piano | 24 October 1994 | 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) | 102 kg (225 lb) | 352 cm (139 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Azimut Modena |
16 | Oleg Antonov | 28 July 1988 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (120 in) | Diatec Trentino |
17 | Iacopo Botto | 22 September 1987 | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 76 kg (168 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 320 cm (130 in) | Gi Group Monza |
18 | Giulio Sabbi | 10 August 1989 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | 352 cm (139 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Exprivia Molfetta |
19 | Fabio Ricci | 11 July 1994 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | 348 cm (137 in) | 272 cm (107 in) | Bunge Ravenna |
Coach history
- 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-)
Record Attendance
- 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
The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Italy national volleyball team.
Period | Kit provider |
---|---|
2000–2008 | Nike Asics |
2008– | Asics Crai Armani |
Media
Italy's matches and friendlies are currently televised by RAI and Rai Sport 1.
References
- Italy in Hall of Fame
- Skład reprezentacji Włoch na LOTTO EUROVOLLEY POLAND 2017 - plusliga.pl - 20-08-2017