Ruse, Bulgaria, September 16, 2018 – France are are seeking for a repeat of their straight-set success in 2002 against the Netherlands in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
Head-to-Head
• Netherlands have won only one of their five World Championship matches against France, a 3-1 victory in Rio de Janeiro in the seventh-place play-off in 1990.
• The most recent world level major tournament match between Netherlands and France was at the 2002 World Championship. The French won in straight sets in Santa Fe.
• The world level major tournaments are Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Netherlands have won nine of their 15 world level major tournament matches versus France.
• Netherlands have lost three consecutive world level major tournament fixtures against France in straight sets, since a 3-0 victory in the 2000 World League.
• France could win four consecutive world level major tournament matches versus Netherlands for the first time.• The team that won the opening set has been victorious in 14 of the 15 world level major tournament fixtures between Netherlands and France. The only exception was when the French came from two sets down to win 3-2 in Haskovo at the 1970 World Championship.
Netherlands
• After a 3-0 defeat versus Canada in their opening fixture, Netherlands won their following two matches at the 2018 World Championship, including an upset against Brazil on Saturday (3-1).
• Netherlands could win three World Championship matches in a row for the first time since 2002, when they won three straight against Greece, Czech Republic and Cuba.
• Netherlands are one shy of 50 defeats at the World Championship. Their current balance is 53 wins and 49 defeats.
• Wouter ter Maat (16 points) was one of four players with double figures in scoring against Brazil. The other three were Thijs ter Horst (15), Michael Parkinson (13) and Maarten van Garderen (11).
France
• France have won two matches and lost one match in their 2018 World Championship campaign so far.
• France's most recent match was their 3-0 victory over Egypt. They could win back-to-back World Championship matches in straight sets for the first time since 1990, when they did so against Venezuela and Japan.
• In 2014, when France eventually finished fourth, they also started with a win, a loss and a win, before they won their fourth match 3-1 against United States.
• Earvin Ngapeth was top scorer in France's second match against Brazil on 22 points, but sat out against Egypt.
• Stephen Boyer is France's top scorer this tournament on 38 total points.