There are few players in international volleyball who have been more connected with their team’s success than Earvin Ngapeth. And the France star will be looking to guide his teammates to another major victory at the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship in Poland and Slovenia.
Men's World Championship 2022
Player spotlight: Earvin Ngapeth
The outside hitter chases another key title for France
Published 11:00, 02 Sept 2022
Ranked second in the world, France are among the favourites to take gold and, whether they do or not, will depend a lot on the level of play their outside hitter brings to the tournament.
· Watch all FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship 2022 matches live on Volleyball TV.
Much of his country's success over the last seven years has been directly connected to Ngapeth’s rise on the international scene, alongside a talented generation of players. The 31-year-old has piled up Most Valuable Player awards as he guides France to the top of the podium at the biggest international events, and the World Championship could mark a new milestone in this respect as Les Bleus are yet to win the competition.
Ngapeth’s collection of MVP awards actually started before he made it on to the senior French team. As part of the country’s youth teams, he was selected as the best player in their victories at the 2008 U20 European Championship and 2009 U18 European Championship. He was also on the U18 team that took gold in 2007, which means he played a role in his country's youth teams' three key victories to date.
Ngapeth poses with the MVP award of the 2015 World League
At the senior level, Ngapeth shone for France as they won the FIVB Volleyball World League for the first time, in 2015. In the same year, the team also claimed their first European title and, although Ngapeth wasn’t the MVP on that occasion, deferring to teammate Antonin Rouzier, he made it on to the tournament’s Dream Team.
Two years later, however, Ngapeth put on an absolute show to help France beat reigning Olympic champions Brazil in front of their home fans in Curitiba to win the World League for a second time.
The team’s biggest victory, however, was yet to come as Ngapeth and his teammates claimed gold at the Tokyo Olympics last year. After a difficult start, with two losses in three matches, the French found their way to the final. Boosted by 26 points from their talismanic player, who again took the MVP award, they won their first Olympic gold medals.
And the story does not end there. Less than 12 months later, the Modena Volley star produced 22 points against the United States to take France to the top of the podium at the Volleyball Nations League.
Ngapeth wasn’t the top scorer in any of his major victories with the French national team. He can score a lot of points, but what makes him one of the top players in the world right now is his ability to produce unpredictable moves and come up big when it really matters.
If he manages to bring those qualities to the World Championship, then France could be in with a chance to lift yet another trophy for the first time. France play Japan next in the Round of 16. The match will take place in Ljubljana at 21:00 local time / 19:00 GMT on Monday.
