Five up-and-coming players set for Men's World Championship breakthrough

The best players on the planet will be at the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship from August 26 to September 11. The tournament will also offer the perfect platform for young stars of the sport to further establish themselves among the elite. And here are five athletes who could take full advantage.

· Watch all FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2022 matches live on Volleyball TV.

Amin Esmaeilnezhad (Iran)

The 25-year-old Iranian opposite produced some excellent performances during this year's edition of the Volleyball Nations League, in what was his first appearance in the event. The left-handed Esmaeilnezhad took the VNL by storm, ranking second in points scored in the Preliminary Phase and is now one of the most popular faces on the Iranian team. He only joined his country’s national team until 2021, but immediately became a key player, adding tremendous firepower to the opposite position. He will be looking to confirm just how effective he can be at the World Championship.

Aleksandar Nikolov (Bulgaria)

Much of the future of Bulgarian volleyball lies in the hands of the 18-year-old outside hitter, who was a bright spot in the team’s campaign in this year’s VNL. The son of Vladimir Nikolov, a longtime opposite for the Bulgarian national team, Aleksandar not only has the pedigree to establish himself as the centrepiece of the team, but also the talent and the determination to do so. Nikolov was the sixth-best scorer of the VNL's Preliminary Round this year. This season he will also make the jump from the American collegiate system, where he played for Long Beach State, to the Italian League, where he will line up for Cucine Lube Civitanova.

Zhang Jingyin (China)

The 22-year-old Chinese outside hitter was a revelation in this year’s VNL. He had already appeared in the event in 2018 and 2019, but his performance level improved significantly this year, with Zhang the most effective player on his team and ranking 11th in points scored in the tournament. Standing at 2.07m, he plays a very physical game but is also a very complete player, delivering important plays from the backcourt as well.

Julian Zenger (Germany)

The 24-year-old libero is not exactly a new face on the German team, but played some of the best volleyball of his career earlier this season during the VNL. Set to enter his second season in the Italian League, he ranked third in digs and fourth in passes in the VNL and proved to be one of the most consistent and reliable liberos in international volleyball. If he can repeat that kind of performance at the World Championship, Zenger will certainly take his career to the next level.

Darlan Souza (Brazil)

The 20-year-old opposite was placed in a tough spot in his first season with the Brazilian national team, when he replaced his older brother Alan in the team’s starting lineup during the VNL. Darlan responded to the challenge well, and played with great intensity to score in double digits in five of his seven appearances. Despite the return of veteran Wallace de Souza to the Brazilian squad, Darlan has also bee included in the roster for the World Championship. He will have more opportunities to keep developing his game and will also be mentored by one of the best opposites of the last decade.

Quick links:
FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Poland Slovenia 2022
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