France’s Antoine Brizard won the MVP award in an international volleyball tournament for the first time
France will play in front of their home fans at the Paris 2024 Games in a few weeks as not only the defending Olympic champions, but also the reigning Volleyball Nations League gold medalists after they triumphed in the sixth edition of the tournament, which came to an end on Sunday, in Łódź.
The French completed their VNL 2024 campaign in a strong way, taking down the second-best team in the FIVB World Rankings, Japan, 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23) in a packed Atlas Arena. Hosts Poland finished third and completed the podium.
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With the victory, the Europeans returned to the top of the podium in the VNL after first winning gold in 2022 – they also claimed silver in 2018 and bronze in 2021. The gold medal match triumph also moved France up to fourth place in the World Rankings, with 344.00 points.
France had ups and downs during the Preliminary Phase, advancing to the VNL Finals in sixth place with eight wins and four losses, but found their rhythm in Łódź, beating the top three teams in the World Ranking to earn the right to lift the trophy.
Despite the setback in the final match of the tournament, Japan also have reason to celebrate as, besides improving from their historic bronze-medal-winning campaign from 2023, the Asians also returned to the gold medal match of a major international tournament for the first time since they took silver at the 1977 FIVB World Cup. After the conclusion of the VNL, Japan appear in second place in the World Rankings with 361.02 points.
Poland secure fifth-straight medal
A few hours before the final, Poland gifted the over 10,000 fans that packed the Atlas Arena with another VNL medal, their fifth in as many years, by topping Slovenia, the best team in the Preliminary Phase, 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-17) in the bronze medal match.
10,000 fans gathered in the Atlas Arena that night
The Polish, who took gold in 2023, silver in 2021 and bronze in 2019 and 2022, also retained the top spot in the World Rankings ahead of the start of the Paris Olympics, adding 6.26 points to their new total of 422.61. Slovenia, who had moved all the way up to third place, are now fifth, with 340.39.
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Slovenia, who made their first Final Four appearance in the VNL this season, continue to chase their first medal.
VNL 2024 Dream Team
France have one of the strongest setter duos in international men’s volleyball and one of their two skilled playmakers, 30-year-old Antoine Brizard, was instrumental in the team’s victory at the Volleyball Nations League 2024. It was the first time that Brizard won the MVP award in an international volleyball tournament.
Also picked as the best in his position, the setter was one of three French players selected for the VNL 2024 Dream Team, alongside opposite Jean Patry and middle blocker Nicolas Le Goff. Runners-up Japan, with outside hitter Yuki Ishikawa and libero Tomohiro Yamamoto, and third-placed Poland, with outside hitter Tomasz Fornal and middle blocker Jakub Kochanowski, had each two members of the ideal lineup.
VNL 2024 Dream Team
Most Valuable Player: Antoine Brizard (France)
Best Setter: Antoine Brizard (France)
Best Opposite: Jean Patry (France)
Best Outside Hitters: Yuki Ishikawa (Japan) and Tomasz Fornal (Poland)
Best Middle Blockers: Nicolas Le Goff (France) and Jakub Kochanowski (Poland)
Best Libero: Tomohiro Yamamoto (Japan)
Paris Olympics up next
With the end of the VNL 2024, the four semifinalists and the other eight men’s national teams qualified will now have just under four weeks to finalize their preparations for the Paris Olympics, which will have its first matches held at the South Paris Arena on July 27.
Next year’s edition of the VNL will have a new format, expanding from 16 to 18 teams per gender – the winners of the 2024 Volleyball Challenger Cup and the highest-placed teams in the FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball World Ranking not yet qualified will join the VNL 2025. Next year’s VNL will go from June 4 to July 27 for the women and from June 11 to August 3 for the men.
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