Poland are back-to-back European champions and qualify for LA28!
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Poland are back-to-back European champions – the first team to do so since Italy had achieved the same feat in 2003 and 2005. The White-and-Reds conceded a single set in the gold medal match with France – and yet they looked truly dominant as they secured their third EuroVolley title (after previous such achievements in 2009 and 2023) to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as well. Wilfredo Leon received the award for the Most Valuable Player of the competition – and Nikola Grbic reinforced his status as a coach under whose tenure Poland has claimed 10 medals across all international competitions they have contested under his guidance. Grbic is also the sole person – together with Italy’s Ferdinando De Giorgi and Andrea Anastasi – to have won EuroVolley as a coach and as a player too.
France vs. Poland 1-3 (29-31, 19-25, 25-20, 16-25)
After a breath-taking video mapping show, in a spine-tingling atmosphere and with a sell-out crowd in attendance, Wilfredo Leon set the tone for a majestic Volleyball show to crown this year’s EuroVolley with a series of three straight aces (4-1). A timeout requested by France’s head coach Andrea Giani helped his side regroup and find their way back to 5-all. The audience was treated to Volleyball of the finest level – with the White-and-Reds enjoying a small advantage (14-12) as both teams played with high tempo and intensity until France levelled the count again with a block on Bartlomiej Boladz. Mathis Henno scored the point that secured France their first lead in the match (18-17) and a close fight unfolded; Antoine Brizard served into the net as France failed to cash in their first set point but Leon did just the same as he went to serve shortly afterwards. Les Bleus seemed to have claimed the opening set of this grand finale as the gargantuan (217 cm tall) Bartlomiej Lemanski sent the ball out of bounds but a challenge acknowledged a net violation by France for 26-all. Trévor Clévenot rose to the occasion to score the next point for France and Lemanski blocked for 27-27. Boladz finished a closely contested rally to call for Poland’s first set point, but it took a while and further drama until Poland’s opposite closed it all out once and for all at 31-29.
The energy resulting from claiming such a closely contested first set propelled Poland to a massive 12-4 lead in the second set as France struggled to replicate the same intensity and quality they had displayed earlier in the match. After scoring seven points in the opening set, Wilfredo Leon continued to deliver his show of strength as Poland looked like a mighty force that none could stop or contain (17-7). While Poland has a depth in quality and variety of options that none can equal across the globe, it became apparent that France did not have as many alternatives to their starting players and even substitutions called by Andrea Giani could only do so much to weather the storm. France managed to reduce their deficit but never posed a real threat as Poland doubled their lead in the match with overwhelming confidence (25-19) – with Lemanski and Leon combining to score as many as 11 points.
France were not yet ready to surrender and the six-minute break after the second set helped Les Bleus regroup and find the strength to rush to a 11-4 lead with Théo Faure, Mathis Henno and Mousse Gueye leading the way. Poland fought their way back slowly but surely (13-10) but France remained composed to regain full control of the game (20-13) and Henno showed glimpses of his class to close the set 25-20 for France. This accounted for only the fourth set conceded by Poland in the tournament – and the first since their 2-3 loss to Bulgaria at the end of the pool phase.
The White-and-Reds looked undeterred by this apparent setback and opened the fourth set coming out with guns blazing (6-3) and even though France fought valiantly, Poland’s consistency and depth came to the fore again (12-8). France never found a way to respond as their deficit did only grow larger and larger (15-9, 20-13) and even though France cancelled two match points, Poland eventually wrapped it up at 25-16.
Even though Mathis Henno and Théo Faure top scored in the match with 20 and 18 points, Poland’s collective strength made the difference with Boladz (16), Leon (13), Fornal (13), Lemanski (12), and Semeniuk (10) all finishing the match in double figures.
Bartlomiej Boladz“It is an incredible feeling – we played a great match against a truly tough opponent, who made things difficult for us. I would like to thank our fans; they travel across the whole world to support us and the atmosphere was amazing tonight as well. It feels great to win such a competition and qualify for the Olympics in such an environment.”
Player of Poland
Tomasz Fornal“These kinds of matches, with the gold medal at stake, come with special pressure, but the most important thing is that we won. It was a tough match, and gold medal games have their own specific character, but the most important thing is that after our worst moment, we came back and once again showed our Volleyball.”
Player of Poland
Nikola Grbić“Sometimes I feel like a fan, because my players do unbelievable things. I have to congratulate them for everything they did on the court, for the approach and mentality they showed, and for how professional they are. They always do everything to make this team win. I am absolutely proud to be the coach of this team.”
Head coach of Poland
Andrea Giani“Our goal was to play a long match and we played at their level in two of the four sets. Don't forget in our team there are players who were in a EuroVolley final for the first time in their careers. I see this as a starting point for a group that can only grow; at the end we have to accept the defeat because Poland played better.”
Head coach of France
Trévor Clévenot“They were more consistent, especially after the first set where I think we showed great Volleyball. They deserved the win; we lost our way a bit in the fourth set, but we are a young team, and that’s how we learn.”
Player of France
Dream Team
MVP: Wilfredo Leon Venero (POL)
Opposite: Théo Faure (FRA)
Setter: Antoine Brizard (FRA)
Middle Blockers: Bartlomiej Lemanski (POL) and Szymon Jakubiszak (POL)
Libero: Jakub Popiwczak (POL)
Outside Hitters: Wilfredo Leon Venero (POL) and Nooa Marttila (FIN)
Coach: Nikola Grbić (SRB/Poland)