Spain unbeatable at WEVZA #EuroVolleyU18M qualifier in Viana do Castelo

Spain emerged as the winners of the WEVZA U18 men’s tournament organised this past week in Viana do Castelo, thereby securing direct qualification for the European Championship scheduled for early July in Italy. The Spanish national team was the only undefeated side in the competition, closing their participation with a thrilling 3-2 victory over France (27-25, 22-25, 23-25, 38-36, 15-11).

The Spanish head coach, Fredison Mosquera, highlighted the difficulty of the WEVZA zone and expressed pride in his players: “I am very satisfied and happy for the players. The WEVZA zone is very difficult because there are extremely strong teams, and coming out as winners of every match gives us great satisfaction and increases our desire to work even harder to achieve more great things. It was very beautiful to finish this round with only victories.” 

One of the major highlights was provided by Belgium, which secured 2nd place in the final standings. The crucial moment came on the fourth day of competition, when the Belgians surprised the French favourites with a clear 3-0 victory (25-21, 25-23, 25-20). This performance allowed Belgium to overtake France in the table, thereby leaving the French in third place. 

The host nation, led by Diogo Rosa, finished the competition in 5th place. Despite the final loss against Germany (0-3), the Portuguese squad showed signs of evolution throughout the tournament, including an important victory against the Netherlands. The Portuguese coach acknowledged the physical superiority of the opponents and the lack of offensive efficiency but looks to the future with optimism: “Some inexperience was noticeable. I believe this can serve as a moment of growth, considering our participation in the 2nd Qualifying Round, which is a great opportunity for us.” 

A major individual highlight for the home team was Afonso Coelho, who was named Best Libero of the tournament’s Dream Team. 

Dream Team

•    MVP: Natxo Larrañaga Prats (Spain)
•    Best Setter: Thiago Pozzato Torrico (Spain)
•    Best Opposite: Roger Monzo Luengo (Spain)
•    Best Libero: Afonso Coelho (Portugal)
•    Best Outside Hitters: Matteo Mrozek (France) and Jannes Strobbe (Belgium)
•    Best Middle Blockers: Kehdinga Youcheu Kemtchou (Germany) and Billy Mo Süter (Netherlands)

Final Standings

1.    Spain (Qualified for #EuroVolleyU18M Final Round)
2.    Belgium
3.    France
4.    Germany
5.    Portugal
6.    Netherlands

Next Step: Portugal and the remaining teams (except for Spain) will have a new opportunity to qualify for the Finals during the 2nd Qualifying Round, scheduled for March 26 to 29, 2026.