BANGKOK – The Italian women’s volleyball team is on top of the world. Twenty-three years after their first title, the squad has been crowned world champion for a second time, cementing its legacy as an invincible, tenacious, and legendary force. In a heart-stopping final that went to a fifth set, the Azzurre, coached by Julio Velasco, defeated Turkey—led by Italian coach Daniele Santarelli—with a final score of 3-2 (25-23, 13-25, 26-24, 19-25, 15-8).
The decisive tie-break was dominated by Italian blocks, culminating in the match-winning point by Myriam Sylla. The victory marks the latest triumph for the Velasco era, which has now collected every major international trophy: two Nations League titles (2024, 2025), the 2024 Paris Olympic gold, and now the World Championship. With this win, the Argentine technician, who previously led the Italian men’s team to two world titles in 1990 and 1994, becomes a simultaneous reigning Olympic and world champion coach.
“This victory was even more emotional than the Olympic one because it was a long, difficult competition full of pitfalls. That gives it a different and beautiful flavour,” Velasco commented. “These girls worked with great dedication and played with courage even when we were in difficulty… It’s a victory that also came thanks to work off the court. I wanted autonomous and authoritative girls, and I have a group that has done great things.”
The path to the final was smooth, but Italy was tested in the semifinal against Brazil and the final against Turkey, nearly buckling under the pressure of Melissa Vargas’s 33-point performance for Turkey. However, the team demonstrated its mental fortitude—a hallmark of Velasco’s squads—by clinching the first and third sets in a sprint, surviving a collapse in the second and fourth, and then overwhelming their opponents in the tie-break. The team finished the Thai World Championship with a perfect record of seven wins from seven matches.
The victory was a complete team effort, blending the experience of captain Anna Danesi, Paola Egonu, and Myriam Sylla with the flair of Ekaterina Antropova and the steadiness of setter Alessia Orro. Young players like Stella Nervini, the youngest on the team, were also called upon and delivered.
“We are world champions! We were tired, a bit disconnected, but we ended this summer beautifully. It couldn’t have ended better,” said an elated Orro, who was named the tournament’s MVP. Captain Anna Danesi, named best middle blocker alongside Turkey’s Eda Erdem, was emotional: “We have made a crazy mental step. We remained solid even when we were down… We try to show our values: resilience, the desire to overcome obstacles. We did it and I am proud!”
Italian libero Monica De Gennaro was also named best at her position, while Turkey’s Melissa Vargas was awarded best opposite spiker.
The team will have little time to celebrate, with an arrival expected at Milan’s Malpensa airport at 14:15 on Sunday. They have also received an invitation to the Quirinale Palace from President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella. Congratulations have poured in from across the nation, including from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who stated, “The Azzurre of volleyball write history: world champions.”