Italy’s Women’s Volleyball Team Wins 2025 World Championship in Thrilling Tie-Break Over Türkiye
Bangkok, Thailand – September 7, 2025 – Italy’s women’s national volleyball team, the Azzurre, etched their names in history by clinching the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship title with a dramatic 3-2 victory (25-23, 13-25, 26-24, 19-25, 15-8) over Türkiye in a tie-break final at Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok. This triumph marks Italy’s second world championship, their first since 2002, and extends their remarkable unbeaten streak to 36 matches, solidifying their dominance in global volleyball.
The final, described as a “breathtaking” showdown by Flashscore.com, showcased Italy’s resilience against a formidable Türkiye squad led by coach Daniele Santarelli and star player Melissa Vargas. The match was a rollercoaster, with Italy taking the first set 25-23 behind powerful spikes from Myriam Sylla and Paola Egonu. Türkiye responded decisively in the second set, dominating 25-13 with incisive diagonal attacks. The third set was a nail-biter, with Italy edging out a 26-24 win, but Türkiye fought back to claim the fourth 25-19, forcing a decisive fifth set.
The tie-break proved Italy’s moment, as the Azzurre delivered a near-perfect performance, winning 15-8 with a series of commanding blocks led by the Antropova-Fahr-Sylla trio and standout contributions from libero Monica De Gennaro, who earned the title of best libero. “A fifth set undoubtedly decided by the powerful blocks,” noted a YouTube recap by The Man of the Sports, highlighting Italy’s defensive prowess. Ekaterina Antropova led Italy with 28 points, including 20 attacks, six blocks, and two serves, while Sylla added 21 points, per CEV.eu.
Coach Julio Velasco, who previously led Italy’s men’s team to world titles in the 1990s, celebrated his first women’s world championship, calling it a “legendary” achievement. “The Italian volleyball team rewrites another page in volleyball history,” read a statement from Volleyball World, emphasizing the team’s unparalleled run, which includes two Volleyball Nations League titles, the 2024 Paris Olympics gold, and now the World Cup.
Türkiye, making their first-ever World Championship final appearance after defeating Japan 3-1 in the semifinals, put up a fierce fight, with Vargas scoring 28 points. Despite the loss, their historic run was a breakthrough, having never finished higher than sixth in previous tournaments, per TurkiyeToday.com. The bronze medal went to Brazil, who defeated Japan 3-2 in a thrilling 16-14 tie-break, according to IndependentXpress.de.
The victory sparked jubilation across Italy, with fans on X celebrating the Azzurre’s grit. “36 wins in a row! Italy’s women are unstoppable! 🏐🇮🇹 #WorldChampions,” posted @volleyspecs. The win also held personal significance, pitting Italy’s Monica De Gennaro against her husband, Türkiye’s coach Santarelli, in a unique family showdown, as noted by Sport.Quotidiano.net.
This championship, hosted in Thailand from August 22 to September 7, was the first World Championship in Southeast Asia and featured an expanded 32-team format, per Wikipedia. For Italy, it cements their status as a volleyball dynasty, with Velasco’s squad now eyeing continued dominance in the sport’s global stage.
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