Overview

• Italy defeated Bulgaria 3-1 in Manila to capture the 2025 Men’s Volleyball World Championship under head coach Ferdinando "Fefè" De Giorgi.
• De Giorgi now holds five World Championship golds, three as a 1990s setter in the Velasco era and two as Italy’s head coach.
• Appointed in 2021 after Olympic disappointment, he led a generational renewal that quickly delivered European gold and the 2022 world title in Poland.
• Reporters credit his calm, self-deprecating style and sharp in-match choices, from elevating Romanò at key moments to leveraging Sani’s serving runs.
• National recognition is growing, with a Quirinale ceremony on October 8 alongside Julio Velasco and a résumé enriched by major club trophies across Italy, Russia and Poland.