Iran claimed gold at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship after an intense tie-break triumph (17-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12) against Italy on Sunday evening at Bahrain’s Isa Sport City.

Iran coach Ataei Nouri Behrouz said: “The final was such a difficult match. Italy really tried their best in this championship. Nobody could beat them in the earlier rounds. We knew it was going to be very difficult, so we also tried to do all we could for the win. My players really worked hard in this match. They are the best and I have the honour that I can be their coach. I dedicate this win to all the people in my country.”

Iran captain Amirhossein Esfandiar said: “This medal means all our hard work during training - all our blood, sweat, and tears - all our hardships and pain were worth it. We had an extremely difficult preparation to win this championship.

"Bahrain has been a very good and very memorable place for my volleyball career. For the last three years I have come here, I have won the gold medal with this team. We have won the FIVB U19s, Asian U20s, and now another world championship for the U21s. This is a complete set for us."

Iran player Morteza Sharifi said: “I do not have enough words to say how I feel. I can only say that I am really happy. I dedicate my medal to my mother and my father. This gold medal is a very important medal in my volleyball life.”

Italy coach Monica Cresta said: “This silver is not just a medal, it is the medal for us. From the beginning, we never thought for sure that we would reach this moment. We came here to try and play. In some moments, we could have done better. We were ahead, and we could have been a little bit more courageous. But Iran is a really strong team. They were stronger than us in attack, and they deserve this. We lost two unfortunate chances. But still, it is a silver medal that we have won, more than a gold medal that we have lost.”

Italy player Daniele Lavia said: “This medal means a lot to me. In this championship, we lost five sets in eight matches, and I take this positively. I am extremely happy because during the championship, our team has strengthened its bonds of friendship. What we have is a united group, inside and outside of the court.”