After being absent for two editions, France returned to the FIVB Boys' U19 World Championship in 2023 with a team that has displayed solidity. This Wednesday, Slimane Belmadi's squad convincingly defeated Egypt, adding another victory thanks to the inspired performance of Thomas Pujol.

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The opposite hitter, participating in his first World Championship, contributed 16 points to overcome the quarterfinal challenge and maintain an undefeated record after six matches.

"It was all about finding the right rhythm. Initially, it was very challenging to execute our game, but later it became much easier and we managed to secure the win” he commented on the match against the African team.

For Thomas, the key to his team's performance lies in a robust defense: "It's the best we have demonstrated so far in the championship. We will rely on it for the upcoming games."

The semifinal match will be against the United States, which eliminated Bulgaria, the bronze medalist in the European championship. This result speaks volumes about the American team from Pujol's perspective: "The most important part is to be well-prepared. They defeated Bulgaria 3-0, so we need to concentrate in order to approach the match in the best possible way.”

Hence, on Thursday, France will have the opportunity to surpass its historical best record achieved in 2007 in Mexico, where they secured the bronze medal.

Thomas confessed that he's thoroughly enjoying the present moment: "This experience is amazing. I'm savoring every day as if it were the last." Furthermore, he expressed his ultimate aspiration for this tournament in San Juan: "I want to win the gold medal, but we must go step by step."

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FIVB Volleyball Boys' U19 World Championship
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