The winners of 34 of the 36 editions of the South American Championship held to date, Brazil returned to the top of the podium at the continental level after enduring its first and only failure in the event in 2023, when they were upset by Argentina - Brazil didn't play in 1964.
The team coached by the legendary Bernardo 'Bernardinho' Rezende met Argentina in the decisive match in Rio on Sunday and, repeating what they had done the entire week, triumphed without dropping sets, winning 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-20) to secure both the title and the Olympic spot.
Star opposite Darlan de Souza carried Brazil to victory on Sunday, easily topping all scorers with 23 points, all obtained in kills. Captain Ricardo Lucarelli and middle blocker Flávio Gualberto each scored eight points for Brazil, while outside hitter Luciano Vicentín dropped 11 for the Argentines.
"Winning the title and securing the Olympic spot is a relief for us," Darlan said. "Not many people believed in us right now, and we showed a lot of resilience and determination. All the hard work paid off. We never gave up, united as a team, and the trophy shows it. It's great to play at home and see our families and friends in the stands."
