Bulgaria departed for the World Cup in the Philippines with confidence, ambition, and high expectations.

The men's national volleyball team departed from Vasil Levski Airport for a training camp in Japan, after which they will move to Manila, where they will participate in the World Championship. On the eve of the major tournament, three of the key figures in the squad – captain Alex Grozdanov, star Aleksandar Nikolov, and setter Simeon Nikolov – shared their sentiments. The overall mood in the team is optimism, ambition, and confidence that Bulgaria can stand up to any opponent.

Alex Grozdanov: Optimism, good preparation, and ambition for a breakthrough.

The captain of the national team emphasized that the team has done an excellent job in preparation, with the current focus on acclimatization and refining details before the start of the championship. He is categorical that the collective is cohesive, and the goals are set step by step – the first is to advance from the groups, after which further progress will be sought.

Grozdanov believes that the victories over Germany and Slovenia in the Nations League inspire confidence, but there will be no easy matches at the World Championship. Nevertheless, the team departs with self-confidence and with the thought of bringing joy to Bulgarian fans.

Aleksandar Nikolov: Readiness to play in two positions.

Aleksandar Nikolov announced that he is prepared to play both as an outside hitter (receiver) and as an opposite hitter (diagonal), according to the team's needs. Although he feels more comfortable in his primary position, he has no problem adapting and is confident that he can help to the maximum.

Nikolov emphasized that the team's ambition is 'almost endless' and that every match will be a point-by-point battle. He stressed that there is no room for underestimation, but also no fear of any opponent. The national team departs as a united whole with the clear goal of giving their all.

Simeon Nikolov: Hopes are for more than a good performance.

The team's setter, Simeon Nikolov, stated that expectations for the team are high, but personally for him, this is a source of motivation, not pressure. For him, debuting at a men's World Championship is a dream come true, which he eagerly awaits.

He is convinced that Bulgaria has progressed significantly since the Nations League and that the squad is ready to put in maximum effort in the first three matches. Victories over Germany and Slovenia may prove to be a good basis for confidence, even though opponents are now arriving with full squads.