Nine times yes! Bulgaria's EuroVolleyM debutants living a dream at home
Feature
Can EuroVolley 2026 become a memory of a lifetime from the very first match? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Nine times yes!
The proof can be found in Bulgaria’s national team. Exceptionally talented and still so young, the Lions are already living an unforgettable adventure. For nine of Gianlorenzo Blengini’s 14 players, this is their first CEV EuroVolley Men. And what better place could there be to make their debut? In Bulgaria. In Sofia. In front of packed stands full of Bulgarian fans at every match. Priceless!
For Simeon Nikolov (19 years old), Zhasmin Velichkov (19), Preslav Petkov (22), Venislav Antov (22), Denislav Bardarov (23), Georgi Tatarov (23), Stoil Palev (23), Rusi Zhelev (24) and Damyan Kolev (24) this is a first appearance at a Men’s European Championship. That means 64.3% of the Bulgarian squad are making their debut on the biggest continental stage. Only five Bulgarian players had experienced EuroVolley before: Aleksandar Nikolov (22), Asparuh Asparuhov (26), Aleks Grozdanov (28), Martin Atanasov (29) and Iliya Petkov (29). They also knew what it felt like to play a EuroVolley at home, having competed in Varna in 2023. But just imagine what must be going through the minds of Bulgaria’s young players and especially those nine debutants when they step onto the court at the 12,000-plus-capacity Arena 8888 in Sofia.
It started with Bulgaria’s opening CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 match against North Macedonia. And it continues with every match that follows. A new game, the same powerful emotions.
Denislav Bardarov"To make my debut for the Bulgarian national team at such a major championship is a dream. When I found out I was starting, I thought to myself: "Wow, I’ve only ever watched this on TV. Now let me experience it myself." The feeling is unique. And the best thing is that it happened in front of a Bulgarian crowd. To make my debut with this kind of support from the fans... I simply don’t have the words to describe it."
Player of Bulgaria
Simeon Nikolov"For nine of us to make our Men’s European Championship debuts here, in our own country, in our capital, in front of so many people - it brings incredibly strong emotions and creates a memory for a lifetime. It is an unforgettable experience, something not many people can say they have experienced. It’s really cool."
Player of Bulgaria
Zhasmin Velichkov"When I stepped onto the court for my first EuroVolley match for Bulgaria, I felt excitement and enormous joy about what was happening. I’m incredibly lucky that my first European Championship is in Bulgaria, in front of a full arena. I have dreamed about this moment. And I have dreamed about much bigger things than simply making my debut. But that is what dreams are for - to come true.”
Player of Bulgaria
And what is his biggest dream right now?
"Personally, I want to develop as a player and reach the highest possible level. As a team, I want us to achieve everything with Bulgaria. I know we can do it, and the future is ahead of us. I’m extremely happy to be playing alongside so many young players in the national team. When I say young, they are actually a little older than me, but still... We have an incredibly strong bond as a team and we are always together. This unity will lead us to many victories in the future," the 19-year-old Zhasmin Velichkov said.
Bulgaria were the youngest team at last year’s FIVB World Championship in the Philippines. And the young Lions reached the final. At EuroVolley 2026 five of Bulgaria’s 14 players are under the age of 23, while 10 of the 14 are under 25. And there is still not a single player in the squad whose age begins with a three. Martin Atanasov and Iliya Petkov will both turn 30 after the European Championship final.
Bulgaria are the fourth-youngest of the 24 teams competing at CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 . As of September 15, 2026, the average age of their 14-player squad is 24.36 years. Only Latvia (22.87), Israel (22.96) and Sweden (24.00) have younger squads on average. At the other end of the scale are defending European champions Poland, the most experienced team at the tournament with an average age of 29.19. Poland also arrive as the 2026 VNL champions, the reigning Olympic silver medallists from Paris 2024 and bronze medallists from the 2025 World Championship. As they continue to gain experience, Bulgaria’s young players who already made a huge impression at the 2025 Worlds are pursuing precisely that dream - success on every possible stage.
Simeon Nikolov"The Worlds is in the past. Yes, we went far. But nothing that happened in the past matters today. We are thinking only about this championship. After that, we will focus on the next goals. What happened yesterday is not important. What matters most is what is happening today and what will happen tomorrow."
Player of Bulgaria