The upcoming World Championship in the Philippines will be marked not only by the battle for the title, but also by the impressive number of absent stars. According to officially confirmed lists so far, 31 volleyball players will not be able to participate due to injuries or other reasons. Daniele Lavia was the last to drop out.
This is equivalent to four full teams of 7 players and three more in reserve. If we add the eventual absence of Slovenian ace Rok Možič, the total number will reach 32 – only three players short of five entire teams that we will not see at the World Championship.
According to FIVB regulations, national teams submit an extended "long list" of players before the championship. The final 14 players are determined shortly before the start, but changes are allowed up to the day before the first match – only for medical reasons and only if the substitute is on the submitted extended list. This means that the picture of absentees can change literally at the last minute, especially with the risk of new injuries during the intensive preparatory period, 19 days before the start of the World Cup.
| Country | Number of absentees | Names |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇲 USA | 7 | Matthew Anderson, David Smith, Maxwell Holt, Torey DeFalco, Thomas Jaeschke, Garrett Muagututia, Aaron Russell |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 5 | Ruben Schott, Julian Zenger, Moritz Karlitzek, Johannes Tille, Linus Weber |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 4 | Masahiro Sekita, Kentaro Takahashi, Yuji Nishida, Akihiro Yamauchi |
| 🇫🇷 France | 3 | Stephen Boyer, Kevin Tillie, Joris Seddik |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | 2 | Aleksander Śliwka, Bartłomiej Bołądź |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 2 | Eric Loeppky, Danny Demyanenko |
| 🇮🇷 Iran | 2 | Milad Ebadipour, Bardia Saadat |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 2 | Gabriele Laurenzano, Daniele Lavia |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1 | Thales Hoss |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1 | Bruno Lima |
| 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 1 | Klemen Cebulj |
| 🇨🇺 Cuba | 1 | Jesus Herrera |
| Total | 31 | – |
The USA is the most severely affected, with 7 absences – effectively an entire generation of key figures. They are followed by Germany (5) and Japan (4). France loses 3 key players, while other favorites like Poland, Italy, Iran, and Canada will be without two each.
Germany – a serious blow for Bulgaria's opponent
The German team, which is in a group with Bulgaria, will be without as many as5 players, including outside hitters Ruben Schott and Moritz Karlitzek, libero Julian Zenger, and main setter Johannes Tille. This is a blow to the team's backbone. Although head coach Michał Winiarski will rely on young talents, the absences will inevitably be felt, especially against teams with more stable rosters. The USA also will not rely on a whole team of experienced players, and the Americans are a potential opponent for us if we qualify for the eliminations.
photos: internet and instagram
