Dutchmen seal spot in #EuroLeagueM final
News
The Netherlands have qualified for the final of the men’s CEV Volleyball European League 2026. In the semi-finals, the Dutch side, known as the ‘Long Men’, emerged victorious also from the second and decisive match against Israel played in Doetinchem on Sunday. The other finalist has yet to be determined and will come from the Finland vs Denmark tie.
The Netherlands had won the first match against Israel 3-1 on Saturday, but it was far from a walkover. The world’s No. 29 team boasts two outstanding 20-year-old talents in Shay Mayo Liberman and Mark Rura, who combined for 45 of Israel’s 95 points. For the Netherlands, Sil Meijs also surpassed the 20-point mark with 22. He received strong attacking support from his teammates, allowing the Dutch to prevail in four sets (25-23, 28-30, 25-23, 25-19).
The Dutch team, however, needed another win in order to progress to the final. A victory for Israel, on the other hand, would have forced a Golden Set. Head coach Joel Banks stuck with his familiar starting line-up: Tom Koops and Yannick Bak as outside hitters, Fabian Plak and Siebe Korenblek took the middle blocker positions, and the Netherlands’ leading scorer, Sil Meijs, lined up as opposite hitter. Joris Berkhout started at setter, while Jeffrey Klok was the team’s libero.
The Dutch were prepared for another tough challenge from Israel, which – just like the Netherlands – had won all six of their League Round matches. However, there was little sign of that in the opening set, which the Dutch dominated 25-14. Israel responded strongly in the second set, levelling the match with a 25-18 win. From then on, it became a hard-fought battle in which neither team could afford to lose focus. The Netherlands ultimately came out on top by winning the final two sets 25-22 and 25-19.
“We finished the job well today,” said one of the standout performers, Siebe Korenblek. The middle blocker scored 12 points and played a key role throughout the match with several crucial blocks. Fabian Plak also made a significant contribution from the middle with 10 points. “The coaching staff came up with a great game plan, and we executed it well. This team is willing to work hard for one another, we genuinely want each other to succeed, and you can feel that.”
Sights set on return to Volleyball Nations League
By reaching the final and thanks to Czechia’s early elimination from the European League, the Netherlands is set to make a significant jump in the world rankings after a series of strong performances in recent weeks. If Finland fail to reach the European League final, or if the Netherlands defeat Finland in that final, the Dutch could secure a rapid return to the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), the highest international competition from which they were relegated last season.
Joel Banks“That has been one of our clear objectives since the start of the season. We want to get back to the VNL, and perhaps it can happen sooner than we expected. But we will have to earn it ourselves. This weekend we have shown that we have taken an important step forward in terms of our level. For many people, this is an unfamiliar team with several new faces, but they have demonstrated that there is real quality in this squad.”
Head coach of the Netherlands
The final will be taking place on July 8 (home match) and 11 or 12 (return game).