This afternoon, France delivered a volleyball masterclass during the semi-final of the 2023 FIVB Boys' U19 World Championship against the United States, securing their spot in the tournament final for the first time in their history. A pivotal contributor to their victory was Joris Seddik, who amassed 9 points for his team.

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The European team showcased their prowess in serving and blocking, dominating the match from start to finish. Joris Seddik, the middle blocker responsible for 7 of the 15 blocking points earned by the French team, shared his thoughts after the game:

"I believe we were very good in serving and blocking. Personally, I felt very comfortable with this aspect of our play. Also, I believe we were the team that had more will to reach the final.”

Seddik, who regards Maxwell Holt and Nicholas Le Goff as his role models and plays from Montpellier in the French League, has accumulated an impressive 51 points in the tournament along with a total of 20 successful stuff blocks.

Despite his team's stellar performance, including an impressive streak of 7 consecutive victories, Seddik admitted that he hadn't envisioned reaching the final before the tournament commenced: "When we came to Argentina, I knew we were going to get good results, but I didn't think we were going to make it to the final. This is amazing."

France, participating in its 14th U19 World Championship, previously only managed to secure a podium spot in Mexico 2007, where they clinched the bronze medal. Their most recent semifinal appearance was in 2011, also in Argentina. However, this time they emerged victorious, marking a historic milestone.

Anticipation builds for the highly awaited gold medal match, and Joris shared his expectations: "We're going to play against a good team. I'm sure it will be a good final and a tough fight, but I think we can win if we have the same determination as today."

According to Seddik, the team's immense strength stems not solely from their gameplay but also from their approach towards the challenge that lies ahead: "We have a good team with good players. During the tournament, we were very focused on the goal. Now we have to focus on the last game."

Joris and his French team are scheduled to compete in the final this Friday at 11pm GMT, with their sights set on clinching their first gold medal.

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