Sunday’s program at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines will get underway with what is probably the most anticipated eighthfinal, between Argentina and Italy. Then, two of the pleasant surprises in the pool stage – Belgium and Finland – will face each other in the second game of the day in Pasay City.
Men's World Championship 2025
Day 9: Mercury rising with second day of eighthfinals
Argentina against Italy and Belgium against Finland on Sunday’s program
Published 12:05, 21 Sept 2025
Argentina against Italy in a VNL 2025 game
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Eighthfinal 3: Argentina v Italy
The third quarterfinalist of the World Championship will emerge from a clash between Argentina and defending world champions Italy, serving off at 15:30 local time (07:30 UTC) in Pasay City.
Argentina and Italy met earlier this season, in a Volleyball Nations League match in Quebec City, Canada in June. The European team celebrated a four-set victory, and it was their second win in a row in the head-to-head series of official matches. Before that, the two sides met twice in VNL 2023 and traded straight-set wins. Argentina’s previous victory over Italy dates back to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021, when the South Americans edged their opponents in a five-set battle.
Argentina’s best result and only medal in the history of the World Championships was earned back in 1982 at home, when they finished third on the podium. At the ongoing 2025 edition, the South American team topped Pool C undefeated and took responsibility for knocking out reigning two-time back-to-back Olympic champions France after beating them in five sets on Thursday. Before that, the Argentineans also defeated Finland in a reverse sweep from two sets down, and Korea in four sets. These results lifted the team to number eight in the FIVB World Ranking, up one spot from where they were before the start of Philippines 2025. Argentina’s experienced 37-year-old star playmaker Luciano De Cecco topped the best setters statistical chart of the pool stage with 137 successful sets over the three matches played. Outside hitter Luciano Palonsky was the second best receiver of the league round, while opposite Pablo Kukartsev was the third best blocker. Kukartsev was also the team’s best scorer so far, with a total of 51 points.
Italy are one of the most decorated teams in the history of the World Championships. They triumphed with the world title three times in a row – in 1990, in 1994 and in 1998 – as well as at the most recent edition in 2022. They also have a 1978 silver around their necks. By finishing runners-up in VNL 2025, Italy climbed to number two in the FIVB World Ranking. Despite being the heavy favorites to win Pool F in the Philippines, they suffered a five-set upset at the hands of Belgium and qualified for the eighthfinals as pool runners-up. They started off with a shutout of Algeria and secured the second place in the pool with a shutout of Ukraine. With a total of 44 points across the three matches, outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto was the team’s best scorer of the first round.
Eighthfinal 4: Belgium v Finland
Both Belgium and Finland won the hearts of the fans with their great underdog performances in the pool phase, so it will be sad to see one of them leave the competition, but it will be just as great to see the other one advance to the quarterfinals, as they lock horns in an eighthfinal battle at 20:00 local time (12:00 UTC) on Sunday.
The last time Belgium and Finland met was in a CEV Volleyball European Golden League fixture last year. The northern Europeans claimed a straight-set victory at home in Tampere. Their previous meetings in official competition occurred back in the 2015 FIVB Volleyball World League, when Belgium won all four matches against Finland.
Belgium made it to the top eight of a World Championship only once in history, back in 1970, when they finished eighth in the final standings, their best result in the history of the competition. The western European team earned its place in the 2025 eighthfinals as the undefeated Pool F winners. In between the straight-set sweeps of their encounters with Ukraine and Algeria, Belgium managed to deliver a sensational five-set win over defending champions Italy. From the number 17 spot they held in the World Ranking before the tournament, they have now climbed two spots up to number 15. Their 22-year-old rising star opposite Ferre Reggers was the best scorer of the pool phase with a total of 73 points towards the team’s three victories. He was also the second best attacker. Another Belgian, 19-year-old libero Gorik Lantsoght, topped the best defenders ranking of the first round with 33 digs.
Finland also had two young talents lead individual statistical charts in the pool phase. 22-year-old outside Luka Marttila emerged on top of the best receivers ranking with 27 successful receptions, while 22-year-old middle blocker Petteri Tyynismaa stood on top of the best blockers ranking with 12 stuffs. The Finns had a great start to the World Championship, winning two sets against Argentina before allowing the South Americans a reverse sweep, but then outlasted reigning Olympic champions France in a five-set battle that proved crucial for the second place in the pool. In their last Pool C game, the Finns dealt with Korea in four sets. Finland’s best result at the World Championships was the ninth place they took in 2014. They currently stand at number 18 in the World Ranking.
FIVB Men’s World Championship schedule for Sunday, September 21, 2025
Sep 21, 15:30 local (07:30 UTC): Argentina v Italy
Sep 21, 20:00 local (12:00 UTC): Belgium v Finland
