Brazil Victorious in first Footvolley World League cup

Rome, Italy - The first-ever edition of the Footvolley World League concluded in breathtaking fashion The favorites from Brazil won both the men’s and the women’s final and crowned themselves the undisputed World League champions. But also the fans in the stadium, the viewers at home and the sport in general were winners last weekend. An excellent start of the first competition-based world league tournament and a great leap forward for the foundation of the world federation and the recognition of the sport.

Men

From June 9th to 11th, Rome played host to 16 top-tier Men's teams and 8 Women's teams from four continents. In the Men's category, Brazil emerged as the champions, but not without facing an unexpected challenge from Israel. The Brazilian squad Fabricio ‘Brisa’ Santos & Sandrey de Oliveira have been dominating the Brazilian tournaments for a while now. But in the final in Rome they unexpectedly were pushed to a third set by a resilient Israeli team (Ron Ben Ishay & Maor Haas). Despite the stiff competition and a lot of shark blocks, Brazil showcased their expertise and claimed the 2-1 victory. The scores were 18:10 16:18 15:12. To our knowledge is the first time any European team came that close.

The semi-finals saw another jaw-dropping upset as Israel triumphed over the home team, Italy. Federico Iacopucci & Alain Faccini fought Israel in a fiercely contested match that extended to three closely fought sets: 6:18 18:7 15:13 Italy, currently number 1 in the EFVL ranking and vice-European Champions 2022, had their title aspirations shattered, leaving their passionate fans stunned. Israel's remarkable performance against two formidable opponents showcased their dedication and skills and the growing global competitiveness of footvolley.

Women

Meanwhile, in the Women's category, Brazil's dominance extended to the female teams as well. The magic duo Natalia Guitler & Vanessa Tabarez clinched the championship with an impressive display of skill, power and teamwork, defeating Yosy Silva Vera & Keyla Faria of Spain in a match that showcased their superiority. Brazil's victory in the Women's finals solidified their status as a powerhouse in footvolley.

The Women's semi-finals were not without their own share of surprises. Former European champions Austria (Julia Rauch & Antonia Missethan) and the Netherlands (Evelyn Dobbinga & Emmelie van der Velde) faced elimination, leaving the path clear for unexpected young contenders Spain. Italy, the current European champions, suffered a severe blow just before the start of the tournament when Sara Cupellini became ill, Elisa Mainardi stepped in last minute to play with Elisabetta Fiorella but they stranded in the quarter finals.

United we play

The inaugural Footvolley World League delivered on its promise of showcasing the world's best footvolley talents. Congratulations are in order to all involved. To the athletes for their hard work ever improving their skills. Some of them travelling halfway around the world from Singapore, the US or Uruguay. To the international federations and ambassadors for their support and confidence in the project of FWL. To our elite referee team and tournament direction. To the local organisation of FV Italy, the partners and sponsors, and to the staff of Pinetina Beach in Ostia for making us feel right at home. The stadium set-up, the TV production and all surrounding conditions were amazing. To Max Tonetto, Frederic Salamone, Miriam Pragliola and team who are the perfect hosts and managed to bring a true World Champion Aldair in as the godfather of the sport. As footvolley continues to gain popularity worldwide, the future of the sport looks bright. The success of the Footvolley World League's inaugural edition has set the stage for even greater excitement and competition in the years to come. Stay tuned #unitedweplay