Brazil looking to return to the podium at VNL 2024

The Volleyball Nations League 2024 is just around the corner and in a few more days, the best national teams on the planet will be clashing around the world in the sixth edition of the tournament.

While many of the women’s national teams set to compete in the VNL 2024 have qualification for the Paris Olympics as their main goal in the event, that’s not the case with Brazil, who already booked their tickets to the Games last year in the Volleyball Olympic Qualifier. The South Americans, instead, will be focused on returning to the podium in the event after missing it out in 2023.

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Here’s all you need to know about Brazil's women’s national team ahead of the VNL 2024:

The background

Brazil are one of the three national teams with the most medals won in the VNL, having stepped at the podium three times in five appearances. The South Americans took silver in 2019, 2021 and 2022. They were fourth in the inaugural edition, in 2018, and ranked fifth last season, when they fell to second-placed China in the quarterfinals.

The squad

Brazil have one of the most talented rosters of the VNL 2024, combining seasoned veterans and young, up-and-coming athletes. Outside hitter Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães is their main star and is considered by many one of the best players in the world. The roster got even stronger in 2023, when, after five years, two-time Olympic champion Thaisa Menezes returned to form a very strong middle blocker duo with Ana Carolina ‘Carol’ da Silva. Setters Macris Carneiro and Roberta Ratzke bring more experience to the team while outside hitters Julia Bergmann and Ana Cristina Souza and opposite Kisy Nascimento are among the talented young players with big roles.

Player to watch

After sitting out of the 2022 FIVB World Championship and appearing in just four matches of the VNL 2023 before going down with a knee injury, Ana Cristina Souza is back with the team this season. She had scored 78 points across four matches at last year's VNL before getting sidelined and had an excellent club season with Fenerbahçe in the Turkish League, helping them win the title. Standing at 1.93m, the 20-year-old can play as an outside hitter or as an opposite and has the potential to split the team's scoring load with Gabi.

The coach

One of the most respected coaches in international volleyball, José ‘Zé Roberto’ Guimarães has been with Brazil’s national team for over 20 years, having taken over back in 2003. The 69-year-old’s stint with the team has been among the most productive in the history of the sport as under his guidance the South Americans won three Olympic medals (gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and silver in Tokyo 2020), four World Championship medals and nine FIVB World Grand Prix titles.

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The match schedule

Brazil will be at home in Rio de Janeiro in the opening week of the VNL 2024 and will face Canada in their first match, on May 14. The South Americans will have other tough opponents during that week, meeting Korea, reigning Olympic champions the United States and reigning world champions Serbia. From Rio, they will move to Macao, China, on week two, when they are scheduled to face Olympic hopefuls Japan, the Netherlands, Italy and Thailand. Brazil will complete their Preliminary Phase calendar in Hong Kong, China, with matches against Poland, Germany, Bulgaria and defending champions Türkiye.

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