PHOTOS: VICENTE IBARRA Facebook, ANTONIN THUILLIER/AFP, VOLLEYBALL WORLD
MANILA, Philippines — Slovenia and Germany headline Pool E in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship from September 12 to 28 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Slovenia, the former World Championship host in 2022, and World No.8 Germany will face Bulgaria and Chile in their group, with all games being played at MOA Arena in Pasay City.
Germany kicks off the Pool E games against Bulgaria, followed by Slovenia battling Chile on September 13.
Slovenia: Rising contender
Slovenia’s #17 Tine Urnaut (3L), #02 Alen Pajenk (2R), #13 Jani Kovacic, #01 Toncek Stern (R) and teammates celebrate during the men’s preliminary round volleyball match between France and Slovenia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the South Paris Arena 1 in Paris on August 2, 2024. (Photo by Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)
Slovenia seeks to build on its breakthrough in the world of volleyball after reaching the semifinals of the 2022 edition, which it co-hosted with Poland.
Since then, Slovenia has qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 for the first time, reaching the quarterfinals last year, and placed fourth in the past two Volleyball Nations League tournaments.
Slovenia, now World No.7, will miss Filipino fan favorite Rok Mozic, who announced that he couldn’t make it back to Manila due to his knee injury.
But the team remains intact with captain Tine Urnaut, Klemen Cebulj, Gregor Ropret, and VNL Best Middle Blocker Jan Kozamernik.
Germany: Swan song run
Germany’s Gyorgy Grozer (L) misses the ball during their FIVB men’s volleyball Nations League match against the US in Manila on June 22, 2024. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
Germany hopes to rise from its previous 15th-place finish in the 2022 edition after reaching the Paris Olympics quarterfinal last year.
Now at World No.8, the Germans hope to apply the past three years of experience to make a deep run in this year’s FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship tilt in Manila.
This could likely be the swan song of Gyorgy Grozer, a 40-year-old spiker and remaining holdover from the 2014 team.
Germany will also bank on young talents Filip John, Erik Rohrs, and Simon Valentin Torwie.
Chile: Long-awaited return
Chile makes its return to the World Championship after 43 years
It will be its second appearance since the 1982 Worlds in Argentina. Chile clinched a spot through its rise in the FIVB World Rankings last year, powered by participation in several Challenger Cup and Pan American tournaments.
Chile is now a top 27 country with Dusan Bonacic, Vicente Parraguirre, and Tomas Gago under coach Daniel Nejamkin.
Bulgaria: Chasing momentum
Bulgaria marched to its 11th World Championship appearance, bringing its best VNL finish in seven years after placing 11th this year.
Bulgaria finished with a 6-6 record in the VNL, including a straight-set stunner on contender Japan
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Now, as the World No.15, Bulgaria hopes to surpass its previous 20th place finish in 2022, with Aleksandar Nikolov, Aleks Grozdanov, and Venislav Antov leading the charge.
