Botti takes over as the new Germany head coach

The German Volleyball Federation announced Massimo Botti as the new head coach of the country's men's national team on the second day of 2026.

Hired to replace former Polish national team star Michał Winiarski, who resigned at the end of 2025 after almost four years in charge, the 52-year-old Italian has the qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as his main goal ahead of the German team.

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Having his contract running until 2028, Botti won two Italian League and three CEV Challenge Cup titles during his playing career before becoming a coach in 2016-2017. With Germany, the former middle blocker will have his first experience as a national team coach.

Leading teams in the Italian and Polish Leagues in the last ten seasons, he had success in both countries, having won the 2022-2023 Coppa Italia with Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza and guiding BOGDANKA LUK Lublin to their first national title in Poland in 2024-2025, when the team also took home the Challenge Cup. After last year's victory, Botti was signed by Asseco Resovia Rzeszów.

"I am very proud and looking forward to working with the German national team," he said. “I want to pass on my passion and energy to the players."

In his first season in charge, Botti will be with the Germans in the Volleyball Nations League and the European Championship, where he will have his first attempt to secure a spot in the LA Games, which would guarantee the team its second-straight Olympic appearance after finishing sixth in Paris 2024.

"That's my dream," the Italian remarked. "The German team has a lot of potential, but at the same time, it's a huge challenge. We now have three years to continuously improve and get the best out of the players. We first need to develop a clear identity with players who believe in this project and are fully committed to it."

In 2025, the last season under Winiarski, the Germans were 15th in the VNL and finished 21st in the FIVB Volleyball World Championship.

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