The Argentine volleyball team concluded its participation in the World Championship in the Philippines with a tough defeat against Italy, the current champion and one of the most powerful teams in the world. Marcelo Méndez’s team fell 3-0 with set scores of 25-23, 25-20, and 25-22, in an intense and closely contested match that marked the end of the albiceleste’s journey in the tournament.
Luck was not on their side in the draw, and Argentina had to face Italy in the first knockout round. The Europeans, who had finished second in their group due to a surprising loss to Belgium, were solid from start to finish.
Despite Argentina arriving undefeated after defeating Finland (3-2), South Korea (3-1), and France (3-2), they could not maintain their level against an Azzurra team without standout stars but with a lethal collective game.
Luciano Vicentín was once again the top scorer for Argentina with 15 points, the same number reached by Michieletto for Italy. Joaquín Gallego contributed 9 points, Bruno Lima added 8, Palonsky 7, Kukartsev 6, and Agustín Gómez 2.
Italy dominated in attack points (45), blocks (6), and forced errors (16 from Argentina against 17 of their own). With these details of efficiency, they tipped the balance in three tight sets.
The match also marked the end of the cycle for Marcelo Méndez as the coach of the national team. The coach, who took over in 2019, led his last match at the helm of the national team and will now take on the role of coach for Trentino, the current champion of Italian volleyball.
The milestone of De Cecco Beyond the elimination, the tournament left a historic mark for Argentine volleyball: Luciano De Cecco, a 37-year-old setter from Santa Fe, played in his sixth consecutive World Championship, since his debut in Japan 2006. An undisputed emblem of the national sport.