The 2025 international season was marked by an unusually high number of absences of leading figures in world men's volleyball. Some of the stars chose to take a step back – whether for physical recovery or personal priorities. Among the most significant absences was undoubtedly that of Matthew Anderson – the iconic opposite hitter and long-time leader of the USA national team.
His decision to interrupt his participation in the national team had a noticeable effect. The Americans played an unconvincing season – 12th place in the Nations League and elimination from the World Championship as early as the quarterfinals, where they lost to Bulgaria. It was then that Anderson's absence became most apparent – at a crucial moment when the USA was without its most experienced scorer and without the voice that usually keeps the team stable under pressure.
A break that proved temporary
It turned out, however, that Matthew Anderson's break was more strategic than definitive. On the very first day of 2026, the 38-year-old attacker officially announced his return to the USA national team, thereby putting an end to speculation about his future.
“I miss the team and the connection we built over the last 10-18 years. Some of these teammates are my closest friends, and together we’ve experienced the full spectrum of emotions,” Anderson told the websitefivb.com.
His words suggest that the decision to return is not dictated by nostalgia, but by a sense of an unfinished cycle.
The final horizon – Los Angeles 2028
Anderson doesn't hide that he is in the final stage of his competitive career. With his characteristic frankness, he admitted that he views the coming years as a last chance to finish his journey in the way he understands it.
“I am definitely at the end of my career. This teaches you humility, but at the same time gives you confidence. I have a few more years where I want to give my all, and I hope the last major highlight will be the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028,” he added.
What his return means
Matthew Anderson's return completely changes the outlook for the USA national team for the 2026 international season. Not so much because of pure statistical indicators, but because of his leadership, experience, and ability to be a decisive factor in matches at the highest level.
After a year of experiments and instability, the American team will once again have its guiding figure. And Anderson himself enters this final cycle with a clear awareness of the time remaining – and with the motivation to turn his return not just into a symbolic gesture, but into a real attempt for one more grand finale in his career.
photo: fivib.com
