One of the greatest figures in world volleyball over the past two decades – Dmitriy Aleksandrovich Muserskiy – announced that the current 2025/2026 season will be the last in his competitive career. The 38-year-old opposite hitter made this announcement personally after Suntory Sunbirds' second match against Tokyo Great Bears, when he addressed the audience in the hall.
The Sunbirds won both matches over the weekend – the first with3:2, and the second convincingly with3:0, after which the legend of the Russian national team confirmed his decision to retire from active volleyball.
A career split between Belgorod and Japan
Muserskiy has been associated with Suntory Sunbirds since 2018, choosing to end his career precisely in Japan – the place where he spent almost a decade and became an icon of the local league. The only club he played for longer is Belogorie Belgorod – initially from 2005–2008, and then from 2008–2018.
In the current season, he continues to be among the leading figures in the championship – a leader in the scorers' ranking with 375 points and 54.9% attack efficiency, indicators that highlight his exceptional longevity at the highest level.
National and international peaks
Muserskiy isan Olympic champion with Russia from London 2012, with the final against Brazil remaining forever in the history of the game. Back then, the Russians were losing 0:2 in sets, but with Muserskiy's crucial role, having been moved from middle blocker to opposite, they turned the match around and won the title 3:2. Bulgaria faced the Russians in the semifinal of the same tournament and lost 0:3 (19:25, 20:25, 20:25), subsequently finishing in fourth place.
Among his most significant successes with the national team are:
European Championship title (2013)
Gold medals from the World League – 2011 and 2013
Gold from the Nations League – 2018
However, his career was also marked by difficult moments. In 2020, he missed the Tokyo Olympic Games due to an elbow injury, and a year later, he was suspended for doping. A return to the national team did not follow, also due to Russia's subsequent exclusion from international competitions.
Rich club trophy cabinet
At club level, Muserskiy possesses an impressive collection of trophies:
Champions League – 2014
Club World Championship – 2014
Multiple medals from the Russian Championship
Four Japanese titles with Suntory Sunbirds
Emperor's Cup
Asian Club Championship – 2023
Best Attacker at the Club World Championship – 2023
Multiple individual awards for best blocker
End of an era
With his 218 cm height, unique presence at the net, and ability to dominate both in attack and on the block, Dmitriy Muserskiy leaves a legacy that will be difficult to replicate. The end of the 2025/2026 season will mark not just the end of a career, but of an entire era in world volleyball.
