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 .jpg) ITALY
1948: Men’s European Championship in Rome from
September the 24th till September the 26th 1948 is the first
official international tournament since the establishment of
the World Federation in April 1947. It takes place open-air
on the beach-volleyball fields in “Foro Italico”.
In the absence of the Soviet Union which joined the World Federation
just a short time before, the team of Czechoslovakia stands
head and shoulders above the other five teams and wins the first
European Championship very confidently directed by coach Ceslipa.
France comes off second-best, they stand up to a very hard-earned
game against host Italy with 3-2. Portugal gets in the fourth
position before Belgium and the Netherlands.
1° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
2° FRANCE
3° ITALY |
 BULGARY
1950: During the second Men’s European Championship
in Bulgaria the Soviet Union confirm their superiority shown
a year before at the World Championship and they win their first
European Championship with great predominance in a field of
Eastern European teams before the titleholders from Czechoslovakia.
The soviet volleyball players don’t lose one set in five
games played in the mode “dog-eat-dog”. Hungary
secures the bronze medal in front of Bulgaria. Romania gets
in the fifth position, Poland the sixth. Italy doesn’t
participate: Del Chicca’s national team played only an
official match – a friendly one against France.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
3° UNGARY
ITALIA N.P. |
FRANCE
1951: The third Men’s European Championship takes
place in Paris where ten men’s teams from East and West
are brought into contact. The Soviet men repeat their success
from the previous year and again don’t lose a set on their
triumphal procession. Trainer Tschinilin still brings along
nine players from the fruitful team of 1950. Among the three
new players there are with Giwi Ahvlediani and Wladimir Savvin
two players who should get worldwide reputation by being trainers
or sports leaders in the future. After the superior Soviets,
Bulgaria wins the silver medal before the host France who has
to be content with a bronze medal because of their better percentage
of sets. Romania gets the fourth position before Yugoslavia
who is tied with them. Italy obtains only the eighth position.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° BULGARIA
3° FRANCE
8° ITALY |
ROMANIA
1955: The fourth Men’s European Championship
in Romania can be defined the first “real” European
title bouts as this time there are after all 14 national teams
from East and West at the starting line. Czechoslovakia, who
has been effective at the first championship in Rome, gets its
second European Championship title with the new stars Musil,
Maly, Laznicka and Paulus. But there were also two players left
from the team of 1948, Paldus and Tesar. The titleholder Soviet
Union with its coach Schagin who has been an active player in
person just four years ago, is not able to get into the medal
ranks this time in Bucharest and has to content itself with
just the fourth position, though they are playing with the experienced
Konstantin Rewa and their two young talents Mondosolewski as
setter and Tschesnokow as spiker. Host Romania wins the silver
medal while Bulgaria gets the bronze medal. This time the Men’s
European Championship as well as the Women’s experiences
a real spectators boom – at an average more than 15.000
spectators get to see the encounters that are fought out open-air
in the Dinamo - stadium. During the final games the stadium
is booked out with more than 30.000 volleyball fans. Italy’s
team directed by the Jugoslavian coach Trinajstic gets in the
ninth position but satisfied because for the first time in its
volleyball’s history Italy wins five consecutive matches.
1° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
2° ROMANIA
3° BULGARIA
9° ITALY |
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
1958: The fifth Men’s European Championships
in Prague goes off without a hitch and a new record of 20 teams
participating. Titleholder Czechoslovakia who has been the world
champion two years before in Paris wins its third title in its
home area. By the way, the Czechoslovakians surprises this time
with a totally new technique of reception and defence which
should revolutionize the future volleyball game: the bump. After
the home team (with all the stars that were present in 1955,
too), Romania wins the silver medal with its young setter Dragan
while the players from the Soviet Union are having only one
original player from 1955 left, Farakow. They win the bronze
medal before Bulgaria and Hungary just because of their better
percentage of sets. Italy to prepare the continental tournament
starts training in winter but gets only in the tenth position.
1° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
2° ROMANIA
3° SOVIET UNION
10° ITALY |
 ROMANIA
1963: At the sixth Men’s European Championship
the Soviet Union again stays without any title in series for
the third time although they have been two times world champion
during the last five years since the last ECH and they still
have seven players from the WCH-team of 1962 – to be second
to none, there are the bulky spiker Bugajenkow and the excellent
setter Mondosolewski.
This time, different from the ECH in 1955, the host team from
Romania remains at the wheel and gets European champion before
Hungary – due to the phenomenal setter Aurel Dragan from
Rapid Bucharest. Romania’s Western neighbour in fact lost
in the direct comparison to the world champions from the Soviet
Union but as the Soviets has to accept a defeat against Bulgaria,
too, the silver medal goes with a tie to Hungary, the bronze
medal to the Russians. Bulgaria comes in fourth while titleholder
Czechoslovakia has to take a disappointing fifth position. Italy
directed by coach Trinajstic doesn’t improve his previous
rank and gets in the tenth position.
1° ROMANIA
2° UNGARY
3° SOVIET UNION
10° ITALY |
 TURKEY
1967: World champion Czechoslovakia who, four years
ago in Bucharest, gets only the fourth position, also could
not now get the title of a European champion in Istanbul.
They lose the decisive game against the first volleyball Olympic
champion in history (the team from the Soviet Union) with 3-2.
For the Soviets it’s the first European Championship to
win after an abstinence of 16 years! Phenomenal players of the
“Sbornaja” are 34-years-old setter Mondolewski who
has been reactivated after the loss of the WCH title in 1966
as well as the spikers Beljajew, Bugajenkow and the universal
player Pojarkow. Altogether coach Kletschew still brings along
five players that once have won Olympic gold in Tokyo. New in
the team are the two young spikers Krawchenko and Lapinski.
Italy with a very young team – only Gianfranco Zanetti
is experienced player – gets in eighth position.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
3° POLAND
8° ITALY |
 ITALY
1971: In Italy 22 teams makes up the record field of
participants at the eight Men’s Volleyball European Championship
which should become a real huge event with altogether 81 games.
It’s the first time in history that it comes to a decision
for the title just because of the better set percentage. Indeed,
titleholder Soviet Union already stands firm to be the new European
champion just before its 0-3 - defeat against Czechoslovakia
in the last game. Because of the surprisingly clear victory
the Czechoslovakians assures themselves the silver medal in
12:5 sets before the Romanians (in 12:6 sets), who has in fact
won against the Czechoslovakians but could not place themselves
in a better position as they have lost against the Soviet Union
in a 0-3 defeat. World champion GDR badly disappoint this time.
Just one year after their sensational profit in Bulgaria they
now lose every game in Italy against the medal winners with
0-3. Vice-world champion Bulgaria even has a greater break-in
because they could not even qualify themselves for the finals
of the six best teams and at the end gets the seventh position.
With the new (and old) European champion from the Soviet Union
there are after all six players left who played one year before
at the World Championship in Bulgaria under the direction of
chief coach Juri Tschesnokow and finishes only sixth. That’s
when Vladimir Kondra, who later on should belong to the best
Soviet players for years, makes his debut. The defeat for 3-2
of Italy against Romania vanishes the dream to compete with
the best teams in Europe. The eighth position deletes the good
organization and switches off the lights that TV has turned
on volleyball.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
3° ROMANIA
8° ITALY |
.jpg) JUGOSLAVIA
1975: The ninth European Championship in Jugoslavia
is performed with a reduced field of twelve teams. Both, the
man as well as the women, are divided into three groups of four
teams from where the two best placed teams qualify themselves
for the final round. The Soviet Union who, one year before failed
by trying to become World champion in Mexico, now win against
Poland 3-0 on their way to the fifth title. Though they lose
2-3 against host Jugoslavia, Poland finally gets the second
position before the natives. In the Soviet team there are quite
a lot of young players who should attract attention in the future,
for example the only 18-years-old Alexander Savin who plays
for the first time in a European Championship just as the player
Saizew and his colleagues Loor, Seliwanow and Tschernischow.
Italy obtains only the tenth position.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° POLAND
3° JUGOSLAVIA
10° ITALY |
FINLAND
1977: The tenth European Championship in Finland takes
place in a new mode of playing. The twelve qualified teams (the
men as much as the woman) start playing against each other in
groups of six teams, after that the third-placed and fourth-placed
as well as the fifth-placed and sixth-placed teams played against
each other in a cross-over mode to seek out the ranks 1 till
12. Once again Poland, who has been the world champion in 1974
and Olympic Champion in 1976, can’t win the fight against
the Soviet Union to become European Champion. One year after
the big disappointment in Montreal, when the gold medal seemed
to be certain but then had to be given to Poland, the Soviets
get their revenge on their Western neighbour with a 3-1 victory
in the final game and they win title N° 6 for the Soviet
volleyball association. Especial impressing players of the old
and new European champion are player Saizew and all-round player
Molibago. Romania gains the bronze medal with a 3-1 victory
against Hungary. Hungary and Czechoslovakia have to settle for
the places 5 and 6, just as they did two years before in Yugoslavia.
Once again Italy reaches the eighth position.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° POLAND
3° ROMANIA
8° ITALY |
FRANCE
1979: The eleventh European Championship in France
once again is played with the formula of division in four groups
of teams. Another time the Soviet ‘Sbornaja’ outclasses
all the rivals. The volleyball artists leave on their way only
three sets at their backs on the conquer of their seventh title.
They win 3-2 against Jugoslavia and 3-1 against France. The
champ Kondra at his third participation wins the award of best
player of the Championship. Poland seems to be revived after
the delusion of the World Championship of Rome. The polish team
in fact obtains the second position. The great surprise of this
edition of European Championship is the team of Jugoslavia that
reaches the third position and overtakes the host France. The
world vice-champion Italy doesn’t repeat its excellent
performance of the World Championship of 1978 and gets only
in the fifth position. This is for Italian team the best position
it has ever obtained, except for the third place of European
Championship of Rome in 1948 where the teams that participated
were only six. With this placing Italy of coach Pittera qualifies
for the European Championship of 1981.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° POLAND
3° JUGOSLAVIA
5° ITALY |
 BULGARIA
1981: One year after having won the Olympic games in
Moscow, The Soviet men also succeed in winning easily their
eighth European Championship title. They only give two sets
to the Czechoslovakian team. The silver medal once again goes
to Poland while the host Bulgaria is able to place itself in
the medal ranks for the first time since 1955 because of their
curtly better set percentage towards Czechoslovakia and Romania
they can win the bronze medal. As often before, no Western European
country is repeated in Bulgaria. The team of France, which can
qualify itself for the European Championship for the first time
after the reduction of the participating teams to twelve ones,
gets eleventh place. Italy closes Pittera’s cycle with
a seventh position and engages the new coach Silvano Prandi.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° POLAND
3° BULGARIA
7° ITALY |
GERMANY
1983: For the fifth time in a row Poland fails in trying
to upset the leading position of the Soviets in the men’s
volleyball of Germany. Afresh they have to be happy with the
silver medal. The ‘Sbornaja’, who won its fourth
World champions title a year before in Argentina, still is too
strong. Once again the ‘dream tandem’ of the Soviet
men’s volleyball, the superstars Savin and Saizew, play
to the top of its bents and leave no chance to the other competitors.
This time Italy is the positive surprise of the European Championship.
After they enter the final round by coming through the strong
phalanx of the Eastern Europeans, at the very end they miss
the bronze medal, which have been nearly save, by losing 2-3
in their last game against host Germany. It’s only a cold
comfort for the ambitious Italians that their great attacker
‘mani di pietra’ Franco Bertoli is paid homage as
the best player in the European Championship. The bronze medal
goes to the Bulgarian team which haven’t counted anymore
on winning it.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° POLAND
3° BULGARIA
4° ITALY |
| NETHERLANDS
1985: Some new names appeare in the Soviet team in
the Netherlands, but considering the sport, everything stays
the same. With Antonow, Vilde, Sorokolet and Iwanow nothing
changes in the Soviet formula for success, the course is set
on winning – the result is title number 10. For the first
time after 1971 the Czechoslovakian team stands on the winners’
podium with a second place. But France, who gets third place,
has to wait even longer until they are able to stand up in (nearly)
first place: about 24 years! At this time like in 1985 the bronze
medal is the profit of the French who obtain their success in
great quantities to the brilliant play of their excellent setter
Alain Fabiani, who gets rhapsodically called the ‘Platini
of the volleyball’ from the media. But the prize for the
best player doesn’t go to Fabiani but to the Czechoslovakian
player Cyril Kreici who also has been playing very powerful
and therefore has spiked his team to the second place. In Amsterdam
Italy obtains the sixth place that isn’t really unfavourable
but arrives after the decision of coach Prandi of renewing the
team by giving space to the young players.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° CZECHOSLOVAKIA
3° FRANCE
6° ITALY |
.jpg) BELGIUM
1987: At the 15th European Championship the team of
the Soviet men gains already their eleventh European champions
title, the ninth one in a row. For the first time since 1977
there have been a ‘real’ final in Gent, where the
final round takes place: the Soviet team against France. It
ends up with a clear victory for the Soviets. The French, who
distinguish themselves in the preliminary round with the most
variable play, have hard-earned the silver medal and without
doubts they are by far the best team of this games after the
Soviet Union. After a very exciting game between two ‘unseeded’
teams the bronze medal goes to Greece which have a 3-2 success
against Sweden – during that game the ambitious Greeks
can catch up a handicap of 8:13 in the fifth set and they literally
fight for the bronze medal. The fifth place goes to the young
giants from the Netherlands which can stand up this way to the
vice European Champion from 1985, the Czechoslovakian team.
Concerning the men’s volleyball, Belgium experiences a
break-in of the Eastern European volleyball nations never expected
in this respect, the eternal bridesmaid Poland can’t even
qualify and as a result of this is missing in an European Championship
for the first time since 1951. The titleholder from the Soviet
Union performs a double changing of the guards: on the one hand
it’s the first time since 1977 that Wjatscheslaw Platonow
isn’t responsible chief coach anymore, on the other hand
it’s also the first time for the legendary duo Wjatscheslaw
Saizew and Alexander not to take part in an European Championship
since 1975. Nevertheless the new trainer Parschin who has taken
over the Soviet team in the spring of 1986 and ‘only’
has achieved the second place at the World Championship of 1986
in France, is sure that his team is the only one to win an Olympic
gold medal in Seoul 1988. Italy trained by coach Alexander Skiba
gets in the ninth position.
1° SOVIET UNION
2° FRANCE
3° GREECE
9° ITALY |
SWEDEN
1989: At the European Championship in Sweden, the Italians
show two kinds of news: They win a big title for the first time
in the Italian volleyball associations’history and they
see to it that for the first time in the 40-years history of
the European Champion a Western European association is the
one to get the continental title. The complete triumph of the
Western Europeans is fulfilled by the Swedish team including
superstar Bengt Gustafsson which fight itself into the final
and the Dutch who win the bronze medal. Italy’s star-coach
Julio Velasco who quite recently has been the coach of the Czech
Republic, cheers: ‘This is a historical day for the European
volleyball.’ And it also is the birthday of a great team
including Paolo Tofoli, Andrea Zorzi, Andrea Lucchetta, Andrea
Gardini, Lorenzo Bernardi and Luca Cantagalli as players. For
the usually successful Russians, Czechs and Bulgarians, who
in general ruled on the first ranks in Europe, there are only
placements without medals left.
1° ITALY
2° SWEDEN
3° NETHERLANDS |
GERMANY
1991: The 18th Men’s European Championships is
staged in Karlsruhe, Hamburg and Berlin. at whose end there
are two surprises to be seen. On the one hand the Soviets gain
a 3-0 victory against the favoured Italians in the final. For
two years the titleholders won every big tournament (World Championship
in 1990, World League in 1990 and 1991). In Berlin the players
of coach Platonov break up this series with a confident 3-0
in the final with new superstar Dimitri Fomin. On the other
hand the German team comes of surprisingly well with a fourth
place that beats all goals. In fact there isn’t much power
left in the semi final (1-3 against Italy) and the game for
the third place (0-3 against the Netherlands).
1° SOVIET UNION
2° ITALY
3° NETHERLANDS |
FINLAND
1993: The time of hard knocks for Italy’s men
ends with the ECH-title in 1993. The “Squadra Azzurra”
which has been the indisputable number one of the volleyball
hierarchy for years is on the top again. The 3-2 victory against
the strong Dutch team in the final of Turku is like balm for
the souls of the Italians who are used to have success and has
been duped in the last European Championship (second place)
as well as in the Olympic games 1992 (fifth place) and the World
League final 1993 in Brazil (third place). Italy beats in the
semifinal the Germany and flies towards the triumph in this
European Championship.
1° ITALY
2° NETHERLANDS
3° RUSSIA |
GREECE
1995: In Greece 1995 there happen to be the same run-in like
two years before. And like in 1993, Italy again can stand up
to the Dutch team in five sets (which, one year later, should
have the possibility to pay back again in five sets by winning
the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta).The Italian coach Julio Velasco
classifies the final as ‘one of the best finals in history’.
Yugoslavia gets third place with a clear victory against Bulgaria.
Italian group is renewed and among the others starts his adventure
a young player with long limbs and strong temper: the middleblocker
Vigor Bovolenta. Velasco chooses Meoni as setter and for the
first time Tofoli is relegated on bench. But, just arrived in
Greece and Meoni sufferes an injury on his right pinkie. Tofoli
has again his role in the National team. Italy begins very well
winning easily against Romania, Bulgaria and Poland. The match
against Czech republic is a real war but at the end Italy achieves
the victory. Azzurri fall under the shots of Russian team but
this defeat has no importance because they conserve the primate
of their pool. In the semifinal match, Italy faces the Jugoslavia
and it wins after a very hard match. The suffering is not ended:
the final is against Netherlands. In Athens, Italian coach Velasco
chooses Tofoli as setter, Giani as diagonal, Gardini and Gravina
as middleblocker, Bernardi and Papi as spikers. During the match,
Velasco makes 17 changes on his team, working tactically against
the ‘Oranges’ of Alberda. The match is really emotional.
Netherlands makes a perfect match but Tofoli and fellows counterattack
point after point. The twenty years old Bovolenta enchants the
public. Italy wins and for the Italian players there are also
many awards: Tofoli as best setter, best digger to Samuele Papi
and best player to Lorenzo Bernardi. Jugoslavia after a very
dramatic historical period, obtains the third position with
a sharp win against Bulgaria.
1° ITALY
2° NETHERLANDS
3° JUGOSLAVIA |
NETHERLANDS
1997: After six years and six months on the guide
of Italian National team and 325 matches played, Velasco decides
to leave the male team to dash into the female volleyball
National team. Federal President Carlo Magri chooses the brazilian
Paulo Roberto de Freitas as new coach of the male Italian
National team, who later will be known as Bebeto. Bernardi,
Cantagalli, Zorzi, Tofoli and Bracci say goodbye to the National
adventure together with the coach Velasco. In the Italian
group appears again Rosalba next to Meoni, Gravina, Giani
and the rustless Gardini. Two are the news: Giombini and Hristo
Zlatanov. The Dutch European Championship really involves
many troubles. Rosalba suffers for an injury, then Pippi,
too. The couple of official spikers jumps in a row. Bebeto
puts Giani as spiker and Bonatti has once again the chance
of playing. The Italian team loses 3-1 against Jugoslavia
but redeems itself winning against the Slovakia, Germany and
Russia. The Dutch team dominates the European Championships
in the way the Dutch does. The host achieves unchallenged
his first European Championship title and only loses one set
at all in the whole tournament. In the final, Yugoslavia has
to admit its superiority though it shows with a 1-3 that you
can reckon on their team in the future. Regarding the Dutch
advantage, it’s only logical that most of the ‘single
titles’ go to the ‘Oranjes’, too: Bas van
de Goor (best spiker), Reinder Nummerdor (best back row player)
and Guido Görtzen (most valuable player) cream off. Therefore
title holder Italy gets the third position as they stand up
against France 3-1.
1° NETHERLANDS
2° JUGOSLAVIA
3° ITALY
|
AUSTRIA
1999: In Austria there played only eight teams for
the Championship-crown but in the end Italy can catch on one
more time. They gain 3-1 against Russia in the final and in
this way pay back for the defeat in the preliminary round (1-3).
‘Azzurri’ are again the absolute protagonists of
this European Championship’s edition trained by coach
Andrea Anastasi: they win 3-0 against Austria and Bulgaria,
then they lose against Russia in four sets and reach the semifinal.
Italy faces Jugoslavia and wins 3-1 after a really thrilling
match. Jugoslavia again ranks the third place like in 1997,
they win against the team from Czech Republic. The host team
Austria proves not to be competitive and comes in last without
any set won. Italy on the wings of enthusiasm and conduced by
the brilliant performances of Bracci, Meoni, Giani and Mastrangelo
- for the first time official middleblocker instead of captain
Gardini – conquers the gold medal.
1° ITALY
2° RUSSIA
3° JUGOSLAVIA |
CZECH
REPUBLIC 2001: The mode of playing with eight teams
again is antiquated in 2001, in Ostrava the twelve best European
teams play against each other to win the title. The Jugoslavians
are on the fast lane. They have won the Olympic gold medal one
year before in Sydney very confidently and now collect the title,
too. The Italians, who reach the semi final winning 3-0 against
Ungary, 3-1 against Germany and 3-0 against Poland, are beaten
badly by Jugoslavia and France. Then even if Italy wins in the
semifinal against the Czech Republic with a 3-0 result, in the
final match they has to give up against the strongest Jugoslavia:
after just 60 minutes the result is certain, Italy loses 0-3
against Jugoslavia. Now the changing of the guard in the European
volleyball has been definitely finished – Jugoslavia has
a major gear. But in Italian team, once again there’s
a great talented player that the year before received the prize
as ‘Mister secolo’ of volleyball – Lorenzo
Bernardi.
1° JUGOSLAVIA
2° ITALY
3° RUSSIA |
GERMANY
2003: With Italy defeating France in an exciting five
sets final, the Men’s European Championships come to an
end. The tournament with the best twelve teams of the world’s
strongest volleyball continent turned out to be one the most
successful European event. The Men’s European Championship
is not only a spectator magnet. The final between Italy and
France is the climax. After more than two hours of high level
volleyball, Italy claims the title 3-2. Almost 9,000 spectators
are present in the Max Schmeling Hall in Berlin to see the Italian
team winning the European gold medal for the fifth time. The
match with the highest audience is the final between Italy and
France with 8,800. Russia obtains the bronze medal after being
badly defeated by Italy during the preliminary phase. Italian
players are the best of the tournament: Mastrangelo is really
insuperable on block while Papi is perfect in passing and Sartoretti
is the best player of the Championship with his infallible serve.
These are the statements of Italian captain Andrea Giani after
the final match: “We are very happy about this victory.
It is a great honour for us to continue past successes again.
This European Championship demonstrates impressively who strong
the European teams are in the world of volleyball. France’s
team shows how far you can get with a close team”. Even
Italian National team’s coach Gian Paolo Montali expresses
his satisfaction: “It was a fantastic game. When a coach
dreams of his first title, then it’s of such a match in
the final and not of a straight 3-0 win. I love to win, but
I love it even more to win such matches. This game appealed
to all feelings and emotions one has. You always have to find
ways to solve problems”.
1° ITALY
2° FRANCE
3° RUSSIA |
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