With a crutch on a pedestal

Brazil became world champion for the third time in a row

In the final match of the World Championship among men's teams that ended in Italy, the Brazilian team defended its title, defeating the main discovery of the tournament - the Cuban team - in three games. “Bronze” went to Serbia, which did not allow the hosts of the competition, the Italians, to take a place on the podium. Russia finished in fifth place.

The Brazilians won the title of the strongest on the planet for the third time in a row, and at all these tournaments the South American team was led by Bernardo Resende, or, more simply, Bernardinho. He spent the entire championship on crutches. The mentor tore his Achilles tendon during the Wagner Memorial in Poland in August, flew home, had surgery, found comfortable crutches and returned to his professional duties.

The 17th World Cup was unique in that for the first time a European team did not participate in the decisive match. If Brazil was initially considered the main favorite (and almost along with Russia), then few people expected such agility from the Cubans. Volleyball players from Liberty Island and their mentor Orlando Samuels did not do any calculations in the labyrinth of the most complex competition formula and did not guess who would be better to play with at the next stage. The Cubans simply rushed into battle, as they say, with their swords drawn. In five games they defeated the Brazilians in the first stage, in the third round, where there was no room for error, they also defeated Bulgaria in the tiebreaker and already in the semi-finals they competed in a marathon match with Serbia that was similar in intensity. This game became the main decoration of the tournament.

The Cubans were already second at the 1990 World Championships, but after six leading volleyball players left the team in 2001, it seemed that this team would never return to the ranks of the world leaders. Moreover, isolated escapes continued further. But no, Cuba is again taking its rightful place in the world elite. Robertlandy Simon received the prize for the best blocker; Wilfredo Leon, who was still underage, had a great championship. The oldest player of the silver medalists, Henry Bell (he has experience playing in our Super League), is only 28 years old. So the Cuban national team has enormous potential.

Brazil's finisher Murilo was again named the competition's most valuable player, as he was at the final World League tournament this season. For fans of Russia, which was left without medals, some consolation can be the prize for the best attacking championship to diagonal Maxim Mikhailov. The phlegmatic head coach of the Russians, Italian Daniele Bagnoli, is unlikely to remain in his post. The team's performance is clearly classified as unsatisfactory. Therefore, the coming winter will be another painful search for a new mentor.

Results. World Championship. Men. Italy. For 5th place (Modena). Russia - USA - 3:0 (25:19, 25:21, 25:19). Decisive stage (Rome). Semi-final. Cuba - Serbia - 3:2 (22:25, 25:17, 31:29, 22:25, 16:14), Italy - Brazil - 1:3 (15:25, 22:25, 25 :23, 17:25). Match for 3rd place. Serbia - Italy - 3:1 (25:21, 25:20, 26:28, 25:19). Final. Brazil - Cuba - 3:0 (25:22, 25:14, 25:22). Final classification: 1. Brazil. 2. Cuba. 3. Serbia. 4. Italy. 5. Russia. 6. USA. 7. Bulgaria. 8. Germany. 9. Argentina. 10. Czech Republic. 11. France. 12. Spain. 13--18. Egypt, Cameroon, Mexico, Poland, Puerto Rico, Japan. 19-24. Australia, Venezuela, Iran, Canada, China, Tunisia.

Ilya TRISVIATSKY