Brazil announce first players to begin preparations for VNL

Brazil have announced the first players called up to be part of the country’s men’s and women’s national teams during the 2022 international season with head coaches Renan Dal Zotto and Jose ‘Ze Roberto Guimaraes’ revealing seven and six selections, respectively.

The first players called up to the men’s team, who will try to defend their Volleyball Nations League title in two months, were middle blockers Lucas Saatkamp and Flavio Gualberto, opposites Alan de Souza and Felipe Roque, liberos Thales Hoss and Alexandre Elias and outside hitter Adriano Xavier.

Lucas, Thales and Alan were all part of Brazil’s roster at the Tokyo Olympics with the middle blocker one of the last remaining players from the team’s roster that took gold at the Rio 2016 Games six years ago. Alan and Felipe Roque are both coming from injuries that sidelined them during the club season and might not be ready to play until the start of the VNL, in June.

The seven players will start training at the Federation’s training facility in Saquarema next Monday, when Renan will start renovating the team after some important players announced their international retirements following last year’s Tokyo Olympics, most notably opposite Wallace de Souza and outside hitters Mauricio Borges and Douglas Souza.

Concerning the women’s team, the first six players selected by Ze Roberto were opposite Lorenne Teixeira, outside hitters Julia Bergmann, Karina Souza and Gabi Candido and middle blockers Lorena Viezel and Diana Duarte.

The 25-year-old Lorenne, who played with Japan’s Saitama Ageo Medics during the last club season, is the player with the most international experience of the six and helped Brazil take silver at the 2019 and 2021 editions of the VNL and finish fourth at the 2019 FIVB World Cup.

Training for the group starts on Tuesday and Ze Roberto will also have important gaps to fill in the roster after Tokyo silver medallists Natalia Pereira, Fernanda Garay and Camila Brait all announced their international retirements.

More players will be added to the squads once club teams end their participation in the Brazilian Superliga and other leagues around the world.

Quick links:
Volleyball Nations League
Volleyball TV
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Youtube