Despite the disappointment of missing out on qualification for the Nations League Final Eight, the Bulgarian national volleyball players look to the future with optimism. Upon their return to Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia, team leaders Aleksandar Nikolov and Alex Grozdanov were unanimous that the national team is moving in the right direction and is gradually becoming a team capable of competing with the world's strongest.
Aleksandar Nikolov admitted that the elimination before the finals left a bitter taste, but emphasized that Bulgaria's performance deserves high praise.
"When you don't achieve the ultimate goal, it's certainly not pleasant and you're left with an unpleasant feeling. However, I believe this is our best ranking since we've been in the Nations League – eighth place. If it weren't for the rule of automatic qualification for the host, we would have proceeded to the finals," Nikolov stated.
The outside hitter noted that the Bulgarians defeated three of the teams that finished in the Top 8, which, in his opinion, demonstrates the real growth of the squad.
"We played six of the teams in the Top 8 and beat half of them. That's a very good indicator. We are on the right track."
Nikolov believes that the team already possesses the necessary playing level to challenge the world elite.
"To beat leading teams like USA and Italy, you have to play at the highest level. The volleyball is there. Of course, there are some things that need to be improved and polished. We are still a young team, but the level is already completely different."
He also highlighted the tremendous support from Bulgarian fans in Chicago, which he believes gave the team additional energy.
"The victory over the USA gives us enthusiasm for the future. There was a great community and many Bulgarians. More than half of the hall was filled with our supporters. We showed that when we play in front of an audience, whether Bulgarian or not, we perform well."
One of the topics Nikolov touched upon was the heavy loss to Poland in Chicago.
"In the match against Poland, we didn't even 'show up' in the hall. So, at least in September, we need to 'show up' at 'Arena 8888' to see if Poland will beat us the same way again."
According to him, expectations for Bulgaria should be realistic.
"Mandatory qualification for a final is not a serious expectation. We are currently a Top 10 team in the world. Such a team cannot have a mandatory expectation for a final. It can be expected that if it shows its best level, it will be able to fight for medals. In my opinion, this is a realistic expectation, and that is what we will strive for."
Alex Grozdanov also emphasized the team's development and stressed that all national team players gave their maximum.
"In several matches, we gave our current maximum, which was not enough. But I am personally satisfied with the guys. We gave what we could, and I am sure everyone left everything they had on the court."
The middle blocker described this year's edition of the Nations League as exceptionally strong.
"This is a very strong championship. All teams come either with new faces or with very experienced players. Every single one of them wants to reach the finals. We also didn't go there to just check our clocks, but we wanted to qualify for them."
According to him, the most important thing is that Bulgaria continues to grow as a collective.
"I don't think motivation is the problem. We are simply undergoing a metamorphosis – from a young team with talents and insufficient experience to a team that needs to become great."
Bulgaria concluded its participation in the Nations League with 7 victories and an eighth-place finish in the final standings. The national team was just one win away from the Final Eight, but thanks to their strong performance, they remained in the top 10 in the world ranking and will look with even greater ambition towards the European Championship in September in Sofia.