Poland sweeps Italy to reclaim VNL gold after bronze finish in 2024

Noah Barro

After settling for bronze on home soil last year, Poland returned to the top of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a dominant performance, sweeping Italy in the 2025 gold medal match.  

Hunting for its second gold medal, Poland dismantled Italy in a straight-set blowout, 25-22, 25-19, 25-14, to reclaim another gold in Ningbo, China, on August 3.

Cuban-born outside hitter Wilfredo León stepped up in the absence of the injured Tomasz Fornal, powering the Polish offense with a team-high 16 points in the title-clinching match.

“I am really proud! We had so many injuries from the start of the preparation. We had an important one now. We lost a very important player at a very crucial moment. So, I think we will have to go to church to pray for these injuries to be over,” Poland’s heac coach Nikola Grbic said.

Grbić, ever efficient at the helm, secured his seventh consecutive international medal as Poland’s coach. His resume now includes a VNL silver in 2021, bronze medals in 2019, 2022, and 2024, and two VNL golds—including this year’s.

Team captain Jakub Kochanowski was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament after anchoring Poland’s sixth straight podium finish. He added seven points in the finals and maintained a stellar 71% success rate in attacks to lead Poland’s clinical dismantling of Italy.

Poland’s road to gold included a commanding 25–23, 26–24, 25–12 quarterfinal victory over Japan, ending the Asian side’s bid for a third straight podium finish. In the semifinals, they routed Brazil, 28–26, 25–19, 25–21, to move one step closer to regaining the crown they last held in 2023.

With the title win, Poland strengthened its grip on the No. 1 spot in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Ranking with 400.14 points. Italy followed with 368.02, while Brazil rounded out the top three at 356.42.