The Polish men's national volleyball team was named Team of the Year for the fourth consecutive time and tenth overall, thus solidifying its leading position in Polish sports. The award was presented on Saturday evening during the gala ceremony of the 'Polish Sportsman of the Year' competition, which took place at the Grand Theatre – National Opera in Warsaw.
An exceptionally strong season
The Polish national team finished the season with impressive results on the international stage. The team won the gold medal in the Volleyball Nations League, secured bronze medals at the World Championship in the Philippines, and ended the year in first place in the FIVB world ranking.
Success in the VNL finals in Ningbo brought Poland its sixth medal in the tournament's history, making the team the most successful national team in this competition.
A special year for the award
This year's award also holds special historical value, as it coincided with the 100th anniversary of the first edition of the poll in 1926, organized by the newspaperPrzegląd Sportowy.
The Era of Nikola Grbić
This award is the fourth in a row for the Polish national team under the leadership of head coach Nikola Grbić. Since taking over the team, he has led Poland to a medal in every competition the team has participated in – an indicator of exceptional stability and a high sporting level.
The ceremony was attended by head coach Grbić, national team players Szymon Jakubiszak and Jakub Nowak, as well as the President of the Polish Volleyball Federation, Sebastian Świderski.
Ten 'Team of the Year' Awards
The current award is the tenth in the history of the Polish men's national team, following awards in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Wilfredo León – Third in the Poll
Among the nominees for the individual 'Sportsman of the Year' award were volleyball player Wilfredo León and middle blocker Agnieszka Korneluk. León took third place in the final ranking, repeating his result from last year.
The 'Sportsman of the Year' award in Poland was given to a canoe-kayak champion who won two gold medals at the World Championship, surpassing Iga Świątek and Wilfredo León.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
