Men's_European_Volleyball_Championship

Men's European Volleyball Championship

Men's European Volleyball Championship

Recurring volleyball competition

The Men's European Volleyball Championship (EuroVolley) is the official competition for senior men's national volleyball teams of Europe, organized by the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). The initial gap between championships was variable, but since 1975 they have been awarded every two years. The current champion is Poland, which won its second title at the 2023 tournament.

Quick Facts Sport, Founded ...

History

The first tournament was held in 1948 with participation of six national teams. Being only participant from Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia captured gold. The teams from Eastern Europe dominated at the tournament for next four decades. The next two editions held in 1950 and 1951 were won by the Soviet Union (who also won two World Championships in 1949 and 1952). However, in late 1950s Czechoslovakia managed to return at first positions. They captured European gold in 1955 and repeated this success at next edition in 1958 (also winning World Championship in 1956). In 1963, twice runner-up Romania won its maiden European title at the home tournament.

The victory in 1967 marked the beginning of the 20-year era of dominance of the Soviet Union. From 1967 to 1987, Soviet team didn't lose any tournament by winning 9 European titles in a row. The names of leading Soviet players of these times such as Vyacheslav Zaytsev, Aleksandr Savin, Vladimir Kondra, Viljar Loor, Yury Panchenko and Vladimir Chernyshyov are known to volleyball enthusiasts all over the world. From 1977 to 1985, Soviet team was coached by Vyacheslav Platonov who led national team to five European titles in a row as well as to two World Championship titles (1978, 1982), two World Cup titles (1977, 1981) and Olympic gold in 1980. The main European rival of Soviet team at these times, Poland (1974 World Champion and 1976 Olympic Champion) was runner-up for the five times in a row (from 1975 to 1983).

Soviet domination was ceased in 1989 when Italy under leadership of Argentinian coach Julio Velasco unprecedentally won their first ever official tournament. Soviet team surprisingly failed to even reach podium after losing to Sweden (hosts) in semifinals and to Netherlands in a bronze-medal match. However, in 1991, in their last participation at the competition, Soviet Union won European title for the 12th time after 3–0 victories over a Netherlands in semifinals and Italy in the final match. Vyacheslav Platonov won European title as head coach for the record sixth time.

Following the Soviet Union's dissolution in December 1991, Italy led by such players as Andrea Gardini, Andrea Giani, Paolo Tofoli and Lorenzo Bernardi became indisputably the best team not only in Europe but also in the world. They won three World Championships in a row (1990, 1994, 1998) and also dominated at European Championships by winning five of the next seven tournaments (from 1993 to 2005). However, ironically they never managed to win Olympic gold. Netherlands who became Olympic Champion in 1996 also managed to win their maiden European title at the home tournament next year. FR Yugoslavia who won Olympic gold in 2000 also became European Champion for the first time at the next-year tournament.

After victory in 2005, the period of Italy's dominance came to end, and more national teams were managed to win their maiden European title. The next tournament was surprisingly won by Spain who managed to beat home favorites – Russia – in a closest 5th-set tie-breaker. In 2009, Poland became European Champion for the first time. The next tournament was won by Serbia for the first time since dissolution of the Serbia and Montenegro (the country which was previously known as FR Yugoslavia). In 2013, Russia (who became Olympic Champion in 2012) finally managed to win their first European title since the Soviet Union's dissolution. The next edition was successful for France who also won their maiden European gold.

The 2017 European Championship took place in Poland. It was won by Russia who defeated Germany in a 5th-set tie-breaker. The 2019 European Championship was co-hosted by four countries for first time – France, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands. Serbia won this tournament after 3-1 victory over Slovenia in the final match in Paris. The co-host countries of 2021 edition were Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia and Finland. In the final match held in Katowice, Italy defeated Slovenia in a 5th-set tie-breaker and won their seventh European title – the first in 16 years. Next year Italy achieved another success in Katowice by defeating Poland at the opponent's home ground in the final match of the 2022 World Championship. However, next year Poland managed to take revenge by beating Italy 3-0 in a final match of the 2023 European Championship which was held in Rome. It was second European victory in the history of Polish men's national volleyball team.

The 33 European Championship tournaments have been won by nine different nations. Russia have won fourteen times (twelve as Soviet Union). The other European Championship winners are Italy, with seven titles; Czech Republic (as Czechoslovakia) and Serbia (one as FR Yugoslavia), with three titles each; Poland, with two titles; and France, Netherlands, Romania and Spain, with one title each.

The current format of the competition involves a qualification phase, which currently takes place over the preceding two years, to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase, which is often called the European Championship Finals. 24 teams, including the automatically qualifying host nation(s), compete in the tournament phase for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about two weeks.

Italy holds record for the participation at the European Championships (32 times) by missing only one tournament. Bulgaria and France participated at the 31 continental tournaments each. Russia also participated at the 31 European Championships (sixteen as Soviet Union).

Results summary

More information Year, Host ...

Medals summary

More information Rank, Nation ...

Total hosts

More information Hosts, Nations (Year(s)) ...
* = co-hosts

Participating nations

Legend
  • 1st – Champions
  • 2nd – Runners-up
  • 3rd – Third place
  • 4th – Fourth place
  •  •  – Did not enter / Did not qualify
  •    – Hosts
  • Q – Qualified for forthcoming tournament
Team Italy
1948
(6)		 Bulgaria
1950
(6)		 France
1951
(10)		 Romania
1955
(14)		 Czechoslovakia
1958
(20)		 Romania
1963
(17)		 Turkey
1967
(20)		 Italy
1971
(22)		 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
1975
(12)		 Finland
1977
(12)		 France
1979
(12)		 Bulgaria
1981
(12)		 East Germany
1983
(12)		 Netherlands
1985
(12)		 Belgium
1987
(12)		 Sweden
1989
(12)		 Germany
1991
(12)		 Finland
1993
(12)		 Greece
1995
(12)		 Netherlands
1997
(12)		 Austria
1999
(8)		 Czech Republic
2001
(12)		 Germany
2003
(12)		 Italy
Serbia and Montenegro
2005
(12)
 Albania•••10th11th•13th•••••••••••••••••
 Austria•••13th18th16th19th21st••••••••••••8th•••
 Belgium5th•6th12th17th13th12th10th12th•11th•••7th•••••••••
 Bulgaria•4th2nd3rd4th4th9th7th5th5th10th3rd3rd5th11th6th5th5th4th9th7th6th9th•
 CroatiaPart of  Yugoslavia••••••8th
 Czech RepublicSee  Czechoslovakia10th6th4th4th10th9th
 Denmark••••20th17th•20th••••••••••••••••
 Egypt•••14th15th•••••••••••••••••••
 EstoniaPart of  Soviet Union•••••••
 Finland•••11th14th14th17th13th•11th•9th7th•••8th10th•12th••••
 France2nd•3rd8th8th8th10th14th8th10th4th8th12th3rd2nd5th9th9th•4th6th7th2nd7th
 GermanySee  East Germany and  West Germany4th4th8th10th•11th7th•
 Greece••••••20th18th••12th•9th8th3rd10th11th•7th11th••11th6th
 Hungary•3rd•7th5th2nd6th5th11th4th8th•11th••••••••9th••
 Israel••10th•••11th12th••••••••••••••••
 Italy3rd•8th9th10th10th8th8th10th8th5th7th4th6th9th1st2nd1st1st3rd1st2nd1st1st
 LatviaPart of  Soviet Union•11th•••••
 MontenegroPart of  YugoslaviaPart of  Serbia and Montenegro
 Netherlands6th•9th•13th12th15th9th9th12th••10th10th5th3rd3rd2nd2nd1st5th8th6th11th
 North MacedoniaPart of  Yugoslavia•••••••
 Poland•6th•6th6th6th3rd6th2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd4th•7th7th7th6th••5th5th5th
 Portugal4th•7th••••••••••••••••••••10th
 Romania•5th4th2nd2nd1st5th3rd4th3rd7th5th8th7th10th12th••12th•••••
 RussiaSee  Soviet Union3rd5th5th2nd3rd3rd2nd
 Scotland•••••••22nd••••••••••••••••
 SerbiaPart of  YugoslaviaPart of  Serbia and Montenegro
 SlovakiaPart of  Czechoslovakia•8th•10th12th•
 SloveniaPart of  Yugoslavia••••12th••
 Spain•••••••••••12th•12th12th••11th••••8th4th
 Sweden••••••16th17th•••••9th4th2nd10th12th••••••
  Switzerland•••••••19th••••••••••••••••
 Tunisia••••16th•••••••••••••••••••
 Turkey••••12th11th14th15th••••••••••••••••
 UkrainePart of  Soviet Union6th9th7th•••12th
Discontinued nations
 Czechoslovakia1st2nd•1st1st5th2nd2nd6th6th6th4th5th2nd6th•12th8thSee  Czech Republic
 East Germany••••9th9th4th4th7th9th9th6th6th••9thSee  Germany
 Serbia and MontenegroSee  Yugoslavia•3rd2nd3rd1st4th3rd
 Soviet Union•1st1st4th3rd3rd1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st4th1stSee  Russia
 West Germany••••19th15th18th16th•••11th•••11thSee  Germany
 Yugoslavia••5th5th7th7th7th11th3rd7th3rd10th•11th8th8th6thSee  Serbia and Montenegro
Team Italy
1948
(6)		 Bulgaria
1950
(6)		 France
1951
(10)		 Romania
1955
(14)		 Czechoslovakia
1958
(20)		 Romania
1963
(17)		 Turkey
1967
(20)		 Italy
1971
(22)		 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
1975
(12)		 Finland
1977
(12)		 France
1979
(12)		 Bulgaria
1981
(12)		 East Germany
1983
(12)		 Netherlands
1985
(12)		 Belgium
1987
(12)		 Sweden
1989
(12)		 Germany
1991
(12)		 Finland
1993
(12)		 Greece
1995
(12)		 Netherlands
1997
(12)		 Austria
1999
(8)		 Czech Republic
2001
(12)		 Germany
2003
(12)		 Italy
Serbia and Montenegro
2005
(12)
Team Russia
2007
(16)		 Turkey
2009
(16)		 Austria
Czech Republic
2011
(16)		 Denmark
Poland
2013
(16)		 Bulgaria
Italy
2015
(16)		 Poland
2017
(16)		 France
Slovenia
Belgium
Netherlands
2019
(24)		 Poland
Czech Republic
Estonia
Finland
2021
(24)		 Italy
North Macedonia
Bulgaria
Israel
2023
(24)		 Total
 Albania•••••••••3
 Austria••16th•••23rd••8
 Belarus•••15th16th•22nd17th•4
 Belgium10th•13th7th10th4th9th18th14th18
 Bulgaria8th3rd6th4th4th6th11th12th15th31
 Croatia14th•••15th••14th11th5
 Czech Republic•16th10th16th13th7th13th8th12th14
 Denmark•••12th••••24th5
 Egypt•••••••••2
 Estonia•14th12th•11th13th24th20th22nd7
 Finland4th12th8th8th12th12th14th11th19th20
 France9th2nd7th5th1st9th4th9th4th31
 Germany5th6th15th6th8th2nd8th6th9th15
 Greece13th8th••••16th22nd20th17
 Hungary•••••••••11
 Israel••••••••18th4
 Italy6th10th2nd2nd3rd5th6th1st2nd32
 Latvia•••••••16th•2
 Montenegro••••••18th24th21st3
 Netherlands7th7th•10th9th14th10th5th5th28
 North Macedonia••••••17th23rd16th3
 Poland11th1st3rd9th5th10th3rd3rd1st28
 Portugal••14th•••20th15th10th7
 Romania••••••21st•7th18
 Russia2nd4th4th1st6th1st5th7th•15
 Scotland•••••••••1
 Serbia3rd5th1st3rd7th3rd1st4th6th9
 Slovakia12th11th5th11th14th15th19th19th•11
 Slovenia16th15th9th13th2nd8th2nd2nd3rd10
 Spain1st9th•••16th15th21st17th12
 Sweden•••••••••7
  Switzerland••••••••23rd2
 Tunisia•••••••••1
 Turkey15th13th11th14th•11th12th10th13th12
 Ukraine••••••7th13th8th7
Team Russia
2007
(16)		 Turkey
2009
(16)		 Austria
Czech Republic
2011
(16)		 Denmark
Poland
2013
(16)		 Bulgaria
Italy
2015
(16)		 Poland
2017
(16)		 France
Slovenia
Belgium
Netherlands
2019
(24)		 Poland
Czech Republic
Estonia
Finland
2021
(24)		 Italy
North Macedonia
Bulgaria
Israel
2023
(24)		 Total
Discontinued nations
 CzechoslovakiaSee  Czech Republic16
 East GermanySee  Germany10
 Serbia and MontenegroSee  Serbia6
 Soviet UnionSee  Russia16
 West GermanySee  Germany6
 YugoslaviaSee  Serbia and Montenegro14

Most valuable player by edition

Most successful players

Boldface denotes active volleyball players and highest medal count among all players (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

Multiple gold medalists

More information Rank, Player ...

Multiple medalists

The table shows players who have won at least 6 medals in total at the European Championships.

More information Rank, Player ...

See also
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