TheItaly men's national volleyball team represents the country in international competitions and friendly matches. The national team is controlled by theItalian Volleyball Federation, the governing body forVolleyball in Italy. It is one of the most successful national teams in the history of volleyball, having won fiveWorld Championships (1990,1994,1998,2022 and2025), sevenEuropean Championships (1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2021), oneWorld Cup (1995), and eightWorld Leagues (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2000). Italy is the reigning world champion, having won the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship on 28 September 2025. Italy equaled a record previously held by the USSR by becoming world volleyball champions in both men’s andwomen’s competitions — a feat the Soviet Union had achieved in 1952 and 1960.[1]
Until the late 1980s, Italy's best results were a silver medal in the home-held1978 World Championships and a bronze medal at the1984 Olympic Games. Two years later, Italy classified only 12th at the1986 World Championships. Subsequenrtly, Italy finished 9th at both the1987 European championships and the1988 Summer Olympics. The Italian federation decided for a hiringJulio Velasco as coach, after his successful tenure atPanini Modena.
Velasco immediately led them to a gold medal at theEuropean Championships in 1989, a tournament his team won twice more in 1993 and 1995. The team also won a silver medal at the World Cup in 1989. He de-emphasized the specialization trend of the 1980s and introduce the concept of the “square”, team unity where the team was better than the sum of its players.
Starting at the 1990 World Championships and the 1990 Goodwill Games, the Italian National team swept the world volleyball events for five years. They won a gold medal in the World Championships in 1990 and 1994, the World League in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995, the 1991 Mediterranean Games, and the 1993 Grand Champions Cup. They won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. Julio Velasco left the Italian National Men's Team in 1996. Velasco in 1989-1996 created Golden Team with Players such asZorzi,Andrea Gardini,Giani,Bernardi,Gravina,Bracci,Tofoli,Lucchetta,Papi,Pasinato andMeoni.[2]
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| Olympic Games record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad | |
 1964 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
 1968 | |||||||||
 1972 | |||||||||
 1976 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 15 | Squad | |
 1980 | 1st round | 9th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | Squad | |
 1984 | Semifinals | Bronze | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 | Squad | |
 1988 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 13 | Squad | |
 1992 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 | Squad | |
| 1996 | Final | Silver | 8 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 5 | Squad | |
 2000 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 8 | Squad | |
 2004 | Final | Silver | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 11 | Squad | |
 2008 | Semifinals | 4th | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 14 | Squad | |
 2012 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 13 | Squad | |
 2016 | Final | Silver | 8 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 10 | Squad | |
| 2020 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | Squad | |
 2024 | Semifinals | 4th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 10 | Squad | |
| 2028 | Future events | ||||||||
| 2032 | |||||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 13/16 | 90 | 58 | 32 | 194 | 135 | — | |
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Championship record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
 1949 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | Squad |
 1952 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1956 | 1st round | 14th | 10 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 14 | Squad |
| 1960 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1962 | 1st round | 14th | 11 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 23 | Squad |
| 1966 | 1st round | 16th | 11 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 31 | Squad |
 1970 | 1st round | 15th | 11 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 28 | Squad |
| 1974 | 1st round | 19th | 11 | 7 | 4 | 24 | 14 | Squad |
 1978 | Final | 2nd | 10 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 12 | Squad |
 1982 | 1st round | 14th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 12 | Squad |
| 1986 | 2nd round | 11th | 8 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 18 | Squad |
 1990 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| 1994 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 6 | Squad |
 1998 | Final | 1st | 12 | 11 | 1 | 33 | 7 | Squad |
| 2002 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 9 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 14 | Squad |
| 2006 | 2nd round | 5th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 13 | Squad |
| 2010 | Semifinals | 4th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 12 | Squad |
 2014 | 2nd round | 13th | 9 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 22 | Squad |
| 2018 | 3rd round | 5th | 10 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 11 | Squad |
 2022 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 4 | Squad |
 2025 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 4 | Squad |
| 2027 | Qualified | |||||||
 2029 | Future event | |||||||
| Total | 5 titles | 19/21 | 176 | 113 | 63 | 396 | 261 | — |
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1965 | Did not qualify | |||||||
 1969 | ||||||||
| 1977 | ||||||||
| 1981 | - | 7th | 7 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 18 | Squad |
| 1985 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1989 | - | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 5 | Squad |
| 1991 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1995 | - | 1st | 11 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 3 | Squad |
| 1999 | - | 3rd | 11 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 14 | Squad |
| 2003 | - | 2nd | 11 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 8 | Squad |
| 2007 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2011 | - | 4th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 15 | Squad |
| 2015 | - | 2nd | 11 | 10 | 1 | 30 | 8 | Squad |
| 2019 | - | 7th | 11 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 19 | Squad |
| Total | 1 title | 8/14 | 80 | 58 | 22 | 189 | 90 | - |
1995 —
Gold medalChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Grand Champions Cup record (Defunct) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1993 | - | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 4 | Squad |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2001 | ||||||||
| 2005 | - | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
| 2009 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2013 | - | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 10 | Squad |
| 2017 | - | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 8 | Squad |
| Total | 1 title | 4/7 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 52 | 28 | - |
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World League record (Defunct) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1990 | Final | 1st | 14 | 11 | 3 | 37 | 21 | Squad |
| 1991 | Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 52 | 16 | Squad |
| 1992 | Final | 1st | 18 | 16 | 2 | 50 | 17 | Squad |
| 1993 | Semifinals | 3rd | 22 | 20 | 2 | 62 | 17 | Squad |
| 1994 | Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 38 | 19 | Squad |
| 1995 | Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 | Squad |
 1996 | Final | 2nd | 17 | 14 | 3 | 45 | 19 | Squad |
 1997 | Final | 1st | 17 | 14 | 3 | 47 | 17 | Squad |
| 1998 | Final Round | 4th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 26 | Squad |
| 1999 | Final | 1st | 16 | 12 | 4 | 42 | 20 | Squad |
| 2000 | Final | 1st | 18 | 13 | 5 | 44 | 33 | Squad |
| 2001 | Final | 2nd | 17 | 12 | 5 | 41 | 24 | Squad |
| 2002 | Semifinals | 4th | 17 | 14 | 3 | 44 | 19 | Squad |
| 2003 | Semifinals | 3rd | 17 | 10 | 7 | 37 | 27 | Squad |
| 2004 | Final | 2nd | 15 | 9 | 6 | 34 | 22 | Squad |
 2005 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 26 | Squad |
| 2006 | 2nd round | 6th | 16 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 31 | Squad |
| 2007 | 1st round | 9th | 12 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 30 | Squad |
| 2008 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 22 | Squad |
 2009 | 1st round | 7th | 12 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 17 | Squad |
| 2010 | 2nd round | 6th | 14 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 21 | Squad |
| 2011 | 2nd round | 6th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 18 | Squad |
| 2012 | 1st round | 11th | 12 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 28 | Squad |
| 2013 | Semifinals | 3rd | 14 | 10 | 4 | 35 | 23 | Squad |
| 2014 | Semifinals | 3rd | 16 | 9 | 7 | 33 | 25 | Squad |
| 2015 | 2nd round | 5th | 14 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 31 | Squad |
| 2016 | Semifinals | 4th | 13 | 7 | 6 | 25 | 20 | Squad |
| 2017 | 1st round | 12th | 9 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 23 | Squad |
| Total | 8 titles | 28/28 | 425 | 287 | 138 | 1000 | 631 | - |
1990 Osaka —Gold medal1991 Milan —Gold medal1992 Genoa —Gold medal1994 Milan —Gold medal1995 Rio de Janeiro —Gold medal1997 Moscow —Gold medal1999 Mar del Plata —Gold medal2000 Rotterdam —Gold medalChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| Nations League record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 2018 | Preliminary Round | 8th | 15 | 8 | 7 | 30 | 28 | Squad |
| 2019 | Preliminary Round | 8th | 15 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 25 | Squad |
| 2020 | Not held due to theCOVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
| 2021 | Preliminary Round | 10th | 15 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 33 | Squad |
| 2022 | Final Round | 4th | 15 | 11 | 4 | 35 | 16 | Squad |
| 2023 | Semifinals | 4th | 15 | 10 | 5 | 33 | 21 | Squad |
| 2024 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 13 | 9 | 4 | 31 | 17 | Squad |
| 2025 | Final | 2nd | 15 | 12 | 3 | 39 | 19 | Squad |
| Total | 0 title(s) | 7/7 | 105 | 65 | 38 | 227 | 159 | – |
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| European Championship record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1948 | - | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
 1950 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1951 | 1st round | 8th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | Squad |
 1955 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
| 1958 | 1st round | 10th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 26 | 19 | Squad |
| 1963 | 1st round | 10th | 11 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 15 | Squad |
 1967 | Final Round | 8th | 10 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 25 | Squad |
| 1971 | 1st round | 8th | 8 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 10 | Squad |
 1975 | 1st round | 10th | 7 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 17 | Squad |
 1977 | 1st round | 8th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | Squad |
| 1979 | Final Round | 5th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | Squad |
| 1981 | 1st round | 7th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 9 | Squad |
| 1983 | Final Round | 4th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 16 | Squad |
| 1985 | Final Round | 6th | 7 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 18 | Squad |
 1987 | 1st round | 9th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 14 | Squad |
 1989 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 7 | Squad |
| 1991 | Final | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| 1993 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 5 | Squad |
| 1995 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 6 | Squad |
| 1997 | Semifinals | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
 1999 | Final | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 5 | Squad |
| 2001 | Final | 2nd | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 10 | Squad |
| 2003 | Final | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 4 | Squad |
| 2005 | Final | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 8 | Squad |
| 2007 | 2nd round | 6th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 11 | Squad |
| 2009 | 2nd round | 10th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | Squad |
| 2011 | Final | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 8 | Squad |
 2013 | Final | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 9 | Squad |
| 2015 | Semifinals | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| 2017 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Squad |
| 2019 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 9 | Squad |
 2021 | Final | 1st | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 5 | Squad |
  2023 | Final | 2nd | 9 | 8 | 1 | 24 | 7 | Squad |
 2026 | Qualified as co-host | Squad | ||||||
| Total | 7 titles | 31/32 | 228 | 151 | 77 | 430 | 330 | - |
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| European Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
 2015 Baku | 1st round | 11th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | Squad |
 2019 Minsk | volleyball tournament not held | |||||||
| 2023 Kraków | ||||||||
| 2027 Istanbul | TBD | |||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 1/1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | - |
gold medal
silver medal silver medal gold medal
bronze medal gold medal gold medal gold medal gold medal gold medal bronze medalChampions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| Goodwill Games record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
| 1986 | Did not participate | ||||||
| 1990 | Final | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| Total | 1 titles | 1/2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
1990 — Gold medalRoster for the2024 Summer Olympics.
The roster was announced on 8 July 2024.[3]
Head coach:Ferdinando De Giorgi[4]
| # | Player | Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Giani | 474 |
| 2 | Andrea Gardini | 418 |
| 3 | Luigi Mastrangelo | 363 |
| 4 | Samuele Papi | 361 |
| 5 | Marco Bracci | 347 |
| 6 | Paolo Tofoli | 342 |
| 7 | Luca Cantagalli | 330 |
| 8 | Ferdinando De Giorgi | 330 |
| 9 | Andrea Sartoretti | 330 |
| 10 | Andrea Zorzi | 325 |
The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Italy national volleyball team.
| Period | Kit provider |
|---|---|
| 2000–2008 | Nike Asics |
| 2008–2021 | Asics Armani Errea |
Primary sponsors include: main sponsors likeDHL,Kinder (Ferrero SpA),Honda andMizuno, other sponsors: Santal,Diadora, EthicSport, Reaxing, Crai, Nutrilite, Uliveto and Winform.
Italy's matches and friendlies are currently televised byRAI andRai Sport.
Titles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Unified | |
|---|---|
| Men |
|
| Women | |
