Hours after the extended squads for the World Volleyball Championship in the Philippines were announced, fans began counting down the days until the matches with the sport's biggest stars. But the long-awaited excitement was quickly dampened – and not by just anyone, but by the camp of Olympic champion France.
Gianni without Ngapeth – a blow to ambitions
The coach of "Les Bleus" Andrea Gianni announced the narrowed squad with which they will begin final preparations for the World Championship. The biggest news is the absence of Earvin Ngapeth – one of the icons of world volleyball and an undisputed leader of France in the last decade. This is according to journalist Agata Fojut fromvolleyballworld.com.
The outside hitter has not managed to recover from a chronic knee injury. Ngapeth himself confirmed that he would not be ready to participate. This was probably his last chance to shine at a World Championship, and now France will have to cope without a player capable of single-handedly turning matches around.
Stephen Boyer – out of contention again
The second "cold shower" is related to Stephen Boyer. The opposite hitter, who had an excellent season with Asseco Resovia (Rzeszów), is once again not in Gianni's plans. Even before the 2024 Olympics, the Italian specialist removed Boyer from the squad, and now history is repeating itself. Regardless of his form, Gianni relies on the duo of Jean Patry and Théo Faure, giving up the power of the 29-year-old opposite.
Minor injuries and question marks before the World Championship
France has no other major absences, but several key figures continue to recover from minor injuries, which further complicates preparation. After a disappointing performance in the Nations League, where "Les Bleus" were eliminated in the quarterfinals after a loss to Slovenia, they will now have to rehabilitate themselves in Group C of the World Championship, where they will face Finland, Argentina, and South Korea.
Reduced France squad for the 2025 World Championship
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Setters | Antoine Brizard, Benjamin Toniutti |
| Opposite Hitters | Jean Patry, Théo Faure |
| Outside Hitters | Yacine Louati, Timothée Carle, Trévor Clévenot, Mathis Henno, Kévin Tillie |
| Middle Blockers | Barthélémy Chinenyeze, Nicolas Le Goff, Mousse Gueye, François Huetz, Joris Seddik |
| Libero | Jenia Grebennikov, Benjamin Diez |
The squad, although featuring big names, is noticeably weakened in attack. The absence of Ngapeth reduces creativity and variability on the wing, while Boyer's absence removes one of the team's most powerful offensive options. The middle block looks stable with Chinenyeze and Le Goff, and at setter, Toniutti and Brizard will once again try to control the tempo. The key will be how the second-tier receivers replace the experienced starters – a task that requires both mental resilience and a lot of class.
