Follow usThe Bulgarian national volleyball team finished with silver medals at the World Championship after falling 1:3 (21:25, 17:25, 25:17, 10:25) to Italy in the final. For the Azzurri it marked a historic fifth world title, while Bulgaria reached the final for the second time in its history and once again secured silver.
The match began evenly, with Alex Nikolov and Martin Atanasov leading Bulgaria’s attack and keeping pace with the Italians. However, the powerful serves of Yuri Romano and sharp finishing tilted the first set in Italy’s favor, 25:21. The second set proved even more one-sided, as Alessandro Michieletto and Daniele Botolo dominated at the net and Romano delivered a string of aces to secure a 25:17 win.
Bulgaria showed resilience in the third set, responding with grit and determination. Nikolov, Atanasov and Petkov combined for strong attacking plays, while Asparuh Asparuhov sealed the set at 25:17 with a decisive spike, briefly reviving Bulgarian hopes.
That momentum quickly faded, as Italy stormed out in the fourth. Botolo’s serves and Simone Anzani’s steady presence in the middle established a commanding lead, and the set ended in a lopsided 25:10.
Despite the defeat, the young Bulgarians left a strong impression with their fighting spirit and talent. Their silver medal marks the second in Bulgaria’s history at the World Championship
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