The Brazilian Volleyball Confederation officially announced the extended squad of 30 players for the 2026 Women's Nations League. Bulgaria will face this very team in its second match of the tournament. The match between Bulgaria and Brazil is on June 6 during the first week of the VNL, which will be held in Brazil. Thus, our national team will have an extremely tough test right at the start of the competition against one of the big favorites for the honors.
The coach of "Seleção" José Roberto Guimarães (Zé Roberto) has already determined the group with which they will begin preparations for the tournament, and among the biggest names in the squad are captain Gabi, star Ana Cristina, experienced Roberta and Macris, as well as Rosamaria and Julia Bergmann.
Among the initially called setters are Macris and Roberta, while Kissy and Tainara start at the opposite hitter position. Ana Cristina, Helena, Rosamaria, Gabi, and Julia Bergmann are included as outside hitters.
Diana, Julia Kudiess, Lorena, and Luzia start at the middle blocker position, while the coach has included Marcelle, Natynha, and Nyeme as liberos.
Brazil's Extended Squad for VNL 2026
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Setters | Bruninha, Kenya, Macris, Roberta, Vivian |
| Outside Hitters | Gabi, Julia Bergmann, Drussyla, Karina, Maiara Basso |
| Opposite Hitters | Kissy, Tainara, Jaque Schmitz, Geovana, Sabrina |
| Outside/Opposite Hitters | Ana Cristina, Helena, Rosamaria |
| Middle Blockers | Diana, Julia Kudiess, Lanna, Larissa Besen, Lívia, Lorena, Luzia |
| Liberos | Kika, Marcelle, Natynha, Nyeme, Paulina |
Brazil once again demonstrates great squad depth and serious competition for every position. The offensive line with Gabi, Ana Cristina, Rosamaria, and Julia Bergmann seems most impressive, as they can change the course of any match. The experience of Roberta and Macris, in turn, provides stability in game organization.
An interesting detail before the match is that some of the Brazilian national team players are well known to Bulgarian national player Maria Koleva. The outside hitter played this season for the champion Dentil Praia Clube together with setter Macris and libero Natinha, who also made it into Brazil's extended squad for VNL 2026.
It is curious that Bulgaria managed to take a set from Brazil against an equally strong squad during the third week of VNL 2025 in Chiba (Japan). Back then, our national team players lost 1:3 (21:25, 29:27, 10:25, 19:25), dramatically snatching the second set against stars like Gabi, Ana Cristina, Rosamaria, Macris, and Roberta. The current squad of "Seleção" almost entirely features the same names from the match in Japan.
For Bulgaria, the match against the host on June 6 will be an excellent opportunity to test their level against one of the strongest teams in the world at the very beginning of the tournament.
photos:volleyballworld.com
