Italy Secures Last Round of 16 Spot with Victory Over Ukraine at 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship

In a strong comeback following a defeat to Belgium, Italy triumphed over Ukraine in straight sets, 25-21, 25-22, 25-18, on Thursday at the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Alessandro Michieletto led the Italian squad with 13 points, helping the team close the pool phase with a 2-1 record. On the Ukrainian side, Yurii Semeniuk was the top scorer, accumulating 14 points as Ukraine ended the pool play at 1-2.

Italy captain Simone Giannelli reflected on the team’s challenging journey, stating, "It’s amazing to be here, to compete for our goal. We knew before we came here [that] our ride in this tournament is very difficult because we’re gonna face a lot of very good teams."

With this victory, Italy secured the final berth in the Round of 16 and is set to face Argentina in the knockout stage.

Earlier the same day, Belgium continued their flawless run by sweeping Algeria 25-22, 25-20, 25-12, finishing pool play with a perfect 3-0 record. Belgium will meet Finland in the Round of 16.

This marks a pivotal moment in the championship as the knockout rounds approach, with highly anticipated matchups on the horizon.