On June 6, the Bulgarian women's national team will face one of the big favorites in the Nations League – Brazil. The team of the legendary José Roberto Guimarães enters the tournament with the highest average age among all 18 participants and with a strong core of Olympic medalists.
The coach has already selected a group of 18 players for the tournament – 16 main volleyball players and two invited for preparation. The lineups for the individual VNL matches will be chosen from this core.
It is interesting that even though the tournament starts in just 2 days, the official list of 14 players for each match has not yet been announced. As the host of the tournament, Brazil can afford to wait until the technical conference before the respective match, when the final roster is submitted. This gives José Roberto the opportunity to monitor the physical condition of the volleyball players until the last moment and make changes according to the opponent.
That is why, for now, the group of 18 players is known, but not the final squad that will face Bulgaria on June 6.
Experience and class in the 'Seleção' squad
Brazil's greatest strength remains the balance between proven stars and a new generation of players.
The team captain is Gabi Guimarães, who continues to be a leading figure in world volleyball. Alongside her are Ana Cristina and Júlia Bergmann, who have already established themselves as key attacking weapons.
At the center of the net, the presence of Júlia Kudiess makes an impression. After the serious injury that ruled her out of the Paris Olympic Games, she returns as one of the hopes for Brazilian volleyball for the next Olympic cycle.
Also interesting is the case of Rosamaria Montibeller, who can be used both as an opposite hitter and an outside hitter, providing additional tactical flexibility to José Roberto.
The return of Nieme and Naty
One of the most discussed topics in Brazil is the return of libero Nieme Nunes after a maternity break. She is once again part of the national team, even bringing her daughter Antonella to the 'Seleção' camps.
Naty Araújo also returns to the squad, which means Brazil has extremely strong competition at the libero position.
Brazil's squad for VNL 2026
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Setters | Macris Carneiro, Roberta Ratzke, Bruna Costa (invited) |
| Opposite Hitters | Kisy Nascimento, Tainara Santos, Rosamaria Montibeller, Sabrina Machado (invited) |
| Outside Hitters | Gabi Guimaraes, Ana Cristina, Julia Bergman, Helena Wenk |
| Middle blockers | Diana Duarte, Luzia Nezo, Lorena Wiezel, Julia Koudies |
| Liberos | Marcele Arruda, Nieme Nunes, Natynia Araujo |
The squad clearly shows that Brazil is not making a drastic generational change after Paris 2024. On the contrary – José Roberto continues to rely on his experienced leaders, gradually integrating younger players like Helena Wenk, Diana Duarte, and Julia Koudies. This is why "Seleção" enters VNL 2026 as the oldest team in the tournament, but also as one of the main contenders for medals.
For Bulgaria, the match on June 6 will be one of the toughest challenges early in the tournament. Facing them across the net will be a squad that combines Olympic experience, world-class talent, and one of the deepest benches in international volleyball.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
