The Volleyball World Cup is starting: why it is special for Argentina and what possibilities does it have to repeat the Tokyo 2020 feat

The Volleyball World Championship in Poland and Slovenia, which kicks off this Friday, will have a very special flavor for Argentina. Because it could be the last of Luciano De Cecco Y Facundo Conte, two badges of the national group. And because it will be the first major engagement of the men’s team – which will debut on Saturday against Iran – since the historic conquest of bronze at the World Cup tokyo, just over a year ago. Can those led by Marcelo Mendez repeat the unforgettable feat of the Japanese capital?

De Cecco is thrilled to make history once again with the black and white shirt and to give our country his second world cup medal. The first, also bronze, reached him 40 years ago, in the tournament that was played in Argentina in 1982, and with a squad that was the basis of the one that climbed on the third step of the podium of the Seoul Games 1988. Although she has warned it will not be an easy task.

“We hope to be able to climb higher than on previous occasions. But of course we shouldn’t expect to be third or to fight for the podium, just because last year we were bronze in Tokyo. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s a lot difficult to enter the semifinals Of course, we will give our all, but we must all be cautious, because we will fight against teams of great power. ESPN.

And he added: “Besides, we are no longer a surprise, but everyone will want to beat a team that took the Olympic podium a year ago.”

The scenario proves him right. Argentinaseventh in the FIVB world ranking, he does not start as a favorite, despite being the best in the standings in his group, F, which he integrates with the Iranian team (8 °), Holland (13 °) and Egypt (20 °).

The three big candidates to lift the trophy are Polandworld number one and reigning champion; Francesecond in the standings and Olympic gold in the Japanese capital, e Brazil, the great South American power, second in the previous World Cup and fourth in the standings. Others who could fight for the title are United States of America (5th) e Italy (6th).

“The Tokyo medal has given us confidence. What happened at the Games gives us the idea that it is possible. So you have to look for that possibility, no matter how small or large it is. The game system is good enough to do that. , in fact, put another shot. We will not unlock the dam until the last ball falls “, he reflected Facundo Conte in an interview with the journalist Sergio Stuart for the newspaper Ole.

For De Cecco the World Championship will be doubly special. It may be the last of his career, but it will also be the one that will allow him to add his name to a select group. It is that Luciano will become the fourth player in history to play five ecumenical championships, later Xavier Weberanother Argentine volleyball player, the Venezuelan Vincenzo Pastore and the Czechoslovakian Joseph Musil.

The santafesino made his debut in a competition of this level in Japan 2006 (13th place), and then said present in the editions of Italy 2010 (9 °), Poland 2014 (11 °) and Italy-Bulgaria 2018 (15 °).

“In those four World Championships things went wrong for us, I don’t know why. Maybe those negative experiences will help us not to repeat the mistakes. I hope so. The sport always takes its revenge. Otherwise the World Cup will be. A thorn in the side. , because surely this will be the last of my career “, commented the point guard.

Conte also announced that in this event he could say goodbye to the World Cup. The one born in Vicente López 33 years ago will play the fourth of his career, after those of 2010, 2014 and 2018.

“It is not just another World Cup. It is a World Cup, with all that it entails. We wait four years for these tournaments. They are the most beautiful and important tournaments to play, so obviously we are motivated. Even with the awareness of knowing that it could be there. ‘last for me, “he told Olé.

The Argentine team arrives at the tournament with many shots, albeit without exceptional results. In June and July the League of Nations, in which they could not overcome the first phase: they were ninth – eight advanced – with five wins and seven defeats. The most notable victory was the 3-1 win against France in Osaka, Japan.

Last week he played a friendly home run in Krakow, in which he won 3-1 Serbian and lost 3 to 0 with Poland and 3 to 2, in a close match, with Iran, their rival in their World Cup debut. And on Tuesday he fell again in two sets against the Polish national team, in the last friendly warm-up.

The Argentine rose is a mixture of experience and youth. He has eight Tokyo Olympic medalists: in addition to De Cecco and Conte, Mazia Sanchez, Ezekiel Palacios, santiago danani, Augustine Loser, Martin Ramos Y Bruno Lima. In addition, four members of the U23 world champion team in 2017, Sánchez, Danani, Loser e Jan Martinez. And three very young, but with a long way to go in the minor categories, Luciano Palonski, Nicola Zerba Y Luciano Vicentino. The list is completed Paul Kukartevreturned to the national team after seven years, e Joachim Gallego.

“It is a quite different team than the Tokyo Olympics team. It is a younger team and we will have to work so that inexperience does not affect many of the smaller ones. Many of them have recently had some prominence in the National League of Even if almost everyone has experience in academic teams and foreign clubs, they will have to be psychologically strong to face a World Cup and, in this way, enhance collective performance “, analyzed De Cecco.

The appointment with Argentina, the groups and the format of the match

Although the World Cup kicks off this Friday –Brazil Y Cuba will play the inaugural match, from 6 in our country, the white-blue team will make its debut only on Saturday, at 12.30 in Argentina, against Iran, for group F.

The second second commitment of those led by Marcelo Mendez It will be against the Netherlands, Monday at 9. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, at 6, the first phase against Egypt will close.

Puerto Rico, Serbian, Tunisia Y Ukraineinvited to the tournament after the abandonment of Russia, sanctioned by the FIVB for the invasion of that country, will constitute the group A. In the B. they will play Brazil, Cuba, Japan Y Qatar. In the C.one of the most difficult, Bulgaria, Mexico, Poland Y United States of America. In the D., Cameroon, France, Germany Y Slovenia. is in the And, Canada, China, Italy Y Turkey.

The first stage will be played in three venues: Katowice and Gliwice, in Poland, and Ljubljana, in Slovenia, where the Argentine team will play.

The two best in each zone and the four best third parties will qualify for the next phase, which will be a knockout phase and will begin with the round of 16, from 3 to 6 September, in venues to be confirmed. The halls will be played on the 7th and 8th of the same month. The semifinal, on the 10th, and the final and the duel for the bronze, on Sunday 11th.

All matches can be viewed on the platform Star +while those of Argentina and the decisive instances will also be transmitted by the various signals of ESPN.