Asian squad overcomes 1-0 deficit to win third world title; USA claim historic bronze
Iran overcame an early deficit to defeat Italy and defend their crown at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship on Sunday at the Jiangmen Sports Center, sealing the Asian squad’s third world title, while the United States captured a historic first medal by taking bronze against Czechia as France, Cuba, Ukraine, Japan, Egypt and Argentina also finished with victories in the placement matches.
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Iran defended their Men’s U21 crown with a 3-1 (15-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-14) triumph over Italy in the final, marking their third meeting in this age-group event. The two sides previously clashed in 2019 and 2023, with Iran prevailing in five sets on both occasions. This time, Italy opened with a stunning first set that restricted the Asian squad to just 15 points, but Iran quickly regrouped and struck back with a 25-18 win to level the match.
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The third set turned into a tight duel, with both teams exchanging points until Iran’s late surge swung momentum and closed it at 25-22. By the fourth, the defending champions read Italy’s plays with precision and built a comfortable cushion that carried them through to seal their back-to-back Men’s U21 title and third overall in the competition.
Seyed Matin Hosseini Tolouti anchored the win with 18 points, including 10 kills, five aces and three blocks, while Pouya Ariakhah added 15. Italy relied on Tommaso Barotto and Pardo Matti, who finished with 14 each in defeat.
The United States followed with a milestone of its own, capturing its first-ever medal in the age-group competition after sweeping Czechia 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-18) in the bronze medal match. Fourteen years after narrowly missing the podium, the Americans dictated the tempo with poise and control, steadily pulling away in each set to complete the sweep.
The victory was built on a balanced all-around performance, as the United States tallied 42 kills, four aces and eight blocks while limiting errors to just 13. Captain Sean Kelly led the way with 19 points on 14 kills, three blocks and two aces, while Cole Hartke added 12. Their sharp defense kept Czechia’s attack contained, holding captain Matej Pastrnak to 13 points and limiting opposite Tomas Brichta to just six. With rallies consistently turned by blocking and floor coverage, the Americans closed out the match and celebrated a long-awaited place on the podium.
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In the battle for fifth, France overcame an opening-set loss to defeat Poland 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21). Adrien Roure sparked the comeback with 20 points, Joévin Wa-Bala added 17, and Daniel Iyegbekedo chipped in 11, as France steadied their play and capitalized on key moments. Poland leaned heavily on Wojciech Gajek’s 24 points, but the lack of wider scoring support left France in control.
For seventh place, Cuba prevailed 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 25-22) over host China, riding the firepower of Daniel Martinez, who scored 26, and Carlos Javier Pereira Larea, who added 17. After China stole the third set through Wu Haoze and Li Hai, Cuba regrouped in the fourth to finish their tournament on a winning note.
Ukraine claimed ninth with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-23) sweep of Bulgaria, staying composed in the tightest moments of each frame. Maksym Tonkonoh and Mykola Kuts combined for 25 points to pace a collective effort, while Bulgaria’s Zhasmin Velichkov led all scorers with 14 in a losing cause.
In the contest for 11th, Japan topped Korea 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21). Shunta Ono scored 19, supported by Takuma Kawano and Taiki Shirono with 14 each, as Japan capitalized on steadier serving and fewer errors to prevail. Korea’s Yun Gyeong poured in 27 points, but his side’s higher error count tipped the balance toward Japan.
Egypt took 13th place with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 30-28) win over Kazakhstan, built on strong blocking. The Egyptians amassed 15 blocks, anchored by Mazen Abdelhameed’s five, to neutralize Kazakhstan’s 45 kills. Hamza Awad Elsafy added 16 points, while Vladislav Mastikhin scored 15 in defeat for Kazakhstan.
Argentina closed the classification matches with a 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20) victory over Türkiye to secure 15th. Fausto Diaz led the way with 29 points, complemented by Mateo Ernesto Gomez Aracena’s 18 and Leonardo Herbsommer’s 12, while Herbsommer also dominated at the net with 10 blocks. Türkiye’s Yilmaz Uner produced 17, but Argentina’s depth and blocking presence proved decisive.
2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship: full schedule
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