One of the most experienced and stable players in Bulgarian volleyball - Martin Bozhilov, announced his retirement from the Bulgarian national team. At least for this year. This was announced by the BFV. The libero with long-standing contributions to the national team will not participate in the upcoming World Championship in the Philippines (September 12–28, 2025).
The decision was made by mutual agreement between Bozhilov and head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini at the beginning of the year. The reason: the 37-year-old player wishes to focus on his recovery and spend more time with his family before the new club season. The staff had hoped until the last minute that he would change his mind, but Bozhilov remains firm in his intentions.
📋 Squad for World Championship preparation
Head coach Blengini called up 13 players who will begin preparations on August 1st at "Arena SamElion," Samokov. This is the same group that participated in the last Nations League tournament, with the exception of Bozhilov.
Here is the breakdown by positions:
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Setters | Simeon Nikolov, Stoil Palev |
| Opposites | Venislav Antov, Aleksandar Nikolov |
| Outside Hitters | Asparuh Asparuhov, Georgi Tatarov, Martin Atanasov, Rusi Zhelev |
| Middle Blockers | Alex Grozdanov, Iliya Petkov, Krasimir Georgiev, Preslav Petkov |
| Libero | Damian Kolev |
The squad clearly shows confidence in the young and promising volleyball players who have already gained valuable international experience through the Nations League. In Bozhilov's absence, Damian Kolev takes on the role of primary libero - a chance for him to establish himself at the highest level. The inclusion of Rusi Zhelev among the outside hitters is also interesting, providing additional versatility. Zhelev also played as libero in several matches, which might also be a reason for his inclusion in the preparation, given the presence of only one prominent player in that position.
🧩 Expectations for additions from B team
Players from the national team's B team will also join the main group after the friendly tournament "Chaika" in Skopje, which will take place on August 6 and 7. The squad led by Francesco Mollo will play against Switzerland and North Macedonia. We remind you that the Bulgarians have already exchanged one victory each with the Macedonians in friendly matches in Sofia.
Conclusion
The retirement of Martin Bozhilov is a quiet but significant piece of news that marks a transitional moment for Bulgarian volleyball. Gianlorenzo Blengini's rejuvenated squad, however, seems ready to build a new image with an eye to the future and a performance at the World Championship.
