Lausanne, Switzerland, August 3, 2018 – Brazil coach Renan Dal Zotto is confident that volleyball fans will see the best of Brazil when the Italy-Bulgaria 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship begins.
They may have won gold at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, but Brazil were unable to finish among the medals at the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League this year, when they finished fourth having lost to USA in the bronze medal match.
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However, with a proud record in World Championships – gold at Argentina 2002, Tokyo 2006 and Italy 2010, and silver at Poland 2014 – Renan has been using the longer time available before the World Championship starts to prepare his team well at the National Volleyball Training Centre in Saquarema.
“With the time we have I have no doubt that we will reach the World Championship in good form,” Renan said. “Our younger players had the chance to play and gain experience in the Volleyball Nations League, and now they have the chance to strengthen further and gain more experience to boost our senior players.”
The World Championship runs from September 9 to 30 and Brazil will begin against Egypt in Ruse, Bulgaria on September 12. They then take on France, the Netherlands, Canada, and China.
Before then they play three friendlies against the Netherlands at home in August. The first match is on August 18 in the national capital Brasilia, they then travel north to play in Manaus on August 20, before the series concludes in Belem on August 22.
“We believe that eight teams can challenge for the title, so to win the title you have to go past all of them,” Renan said. “Each game will be hard, and the Volleyball Nations League proved that.
“We intend to start the World Championship with a very good performance in the first round and take it into the second round. It is important we start well.”
Renan has already been handed a piece of good news with the return of Liuz Felipe ‘Lipe’ Marques Fonteles.
The Olympic gold winning setter was forced to miss the Volleyball Nations League Finals due to an elbow injury, but he has recovered in time to take his place in the training squad.
“The return of an experienced player like Lipe will help a lot, and he is nearly at 100 percent of his ability,” Renan said. “Along with the younger players and their experience from the Volleyball Nations League I am sure we will reach the World Cup in good form.
“More than anything we have a good amount of time to prepare and that is always something that has served us well going into competitions.”