O Men’s Volleyball World Cup 2025played in the Philippines, arrives in the semifinal phase with four European teams fighting for the great title of the season.
Current champion, Italy faces Poland in a duel that promises a lot of emotion on the court.
On the other side of the key, the Czech Republic, sees Bulgaria.
This is the first time in almost 60 years that. The last time this happened was in the 1966 editionin Czechoslovakia.
Extinct selections in the semifinal
Czechoslovakia, by the way, was the champion of that tournament in the end against Romania. The country ceased to exist in 1993, when it dissolved in two independent regions, today Czech Republic and Slovakia.
But it was not the only state extinct to appear in the top 4 of the 1966 World Cup. Soviet Union and East Germany ended in third and fourth place, respectively.
With the end of the Soviet state in 1991, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) considered Russia as heiress of the former country’s titles.
East Germany, which even won the Men’s World Cup in 1970, was reunited with the Western in 1990, becoming a single German nation.
Brazil among intruders
Despite the long period without a 100% European semifinal, the selections of the old continent dominated the following editions, putting at least two teams among the top four.
The exception took place in the 1982 edition on Argentine soil. The Soviet Union was Europe’s only selection in the top 4 and got the title after beating Brazil in the final. Argentina and Japan also participated in the semifinal.
In addition to Brazil, Argentina and Japan, other teams from outside Europe have already disputed this phase of the competition, such as the United States, Cuba and South Korea
