The world title, the missing link for French volleyball

On August 7, 2021, after an unbreathable final won in five sets against Russia (25-23, 25-17, 21-25, 21-25, 15-12), the French volleyball team- ball won the first Olympic title in its history. A climax for his coach, Laurent Tillie, after nine years during which he made his troops a reference on the world level. Since then, the Blues have experienced everything, from the appointment of legend Bernardinho as coach to his unexpected resignation in March for personal reasons, from a pitiful failure in the round of 16 of Euro 2021 to a galvanizing third title during of the League of Nations at the end of July… A real roller coaster, sporting and emotional, which Andrea Giani intends to put an end to. In the correct meaning of the term.

Appointed at the end of March as successor to Bernardinho, the Italian coach does not have the same aura as the Brazilian in this position. On the other hand, as a player, his prize list speaks for him with in particular three world titles and four European won with the Squadra Azzurra. From a legend on the bench to a legend on the pitch, the France team was obviously not lacking in attractiveness. Just as there is no lack of talent between the brilliant artist Earvin Ngapeth, the unsinkable libero Jenia Grebennikov or the Benjamin Toniutti-Antoine Brizard tandem, without a doubt the best pair of passers currently in the world. So many assets that Giani wants to continue to grow with one key word: regularity. “The history of this team shows that very often after a great result followed a great defeat. Our goal is to put an end to this», Says, determined, the transalpine coach.

Without work or constant questioning, it’s very complicated to stay at the top.

Andrea Giani

A direct reference to the last Euro, during which the Blues – barely back down from their Olympic cloud – fell in the round of 16 against the Czechs. Suddenly, as they have just won the League of Nations, Giani can only worry about a possible, and umpteenth, relapse during the World Championship which opens this Friday August 26 with a confrontation against Germany (5:30 p.m.) to end, if all goes well, on September 11th. “We have players of an excellent level, but you have to be honest with them too: without work or constant questioning, it’s very difficult to stay at the tophe analyzes. Especially since after a title, everyone wants to beat you. Mentally, you have to be ready for it. And I think when you win a competition, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have the best team, but it means that you have the team that has worked the best. With each new competition, you start from scratch and you have to demonstrate it once again. It is a process that players absolutely must accept.»

Read alsoKevin Tillie: “Now we have this sign of Olympic champions to knock down”

To get his message across, Giani will be able to rely on this additional motivation lever: the only title that is still missing from this French team is the world one. If volleyball players want to join their colleagues in handball and football – the only two team sports to have won the Olympic-world-European triple crown – then they know what they have to do in Slovenia and Poland. Even if nothing looks simple in this competition, as detailed for Le Figaro Antoine Brizard: “To play Germany first is a very complicated start. This is a team that can catch fire on the serve, with two of the best servers in the world. They can put crazy pressure on opposing receivers. This can quickly turn into a very difficult match. Cameroon (August 31, 5:30 p.m.) should not be underestimated either. And then Slovenia (August 28, 8:30 p.m.) at home, it’s a big challenge. During Euro 2019, which she co-organized, she released Poland and Russia in her room in Ljubjlana. The Slovenian public lives for the sport and transcends its team.“And the quest for a first world title will then pass for the Blues through cutthroat matches from the round of 16. A great challenge to take up to complete a crazy year.