In the world volleyball tradition, February 9 is accepted as a symbolic date, associated with the birth of the game created by William G. Morgan at the end of the 19th century in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
The occasion is another opportunity to recall how far volleyball has come – from the YMCA hall to the Olympic arenas and to becoming one of the most popular team sports on the planet.
But for Bulgaria, this day comes at a moment when the focus is not only on history but also on the present – because 2025 was a year that brought Bulgarian volleyball back among the big topics in the world.
2025: gold for the girls and silver for the men
Bulgarian volleyball has every reason to greet this date with its head held high.
The U19 Women's National Team becameworld champion, proving that our country has a generation that can play at the highest level.
The Men's National Team reached the final of the World Championship in Manila and wonthe silver medals, a success that once again placed Bulgaria among the leading forces.
These are results that are not an isolated episode, but a clear statement of direction.
The Rankings and the Big Goal: Olympics
Bulgaria is ranked9th in the men's world rankings, and this means only one thing – the Olympic dream is real again.
The national team's last participation in the Olympic Games was in London 2012. Since then, a too long period has passed during which Bulgaria was absent from the biggest stage.
Today, however, the situation is different.
After Manila and after the girls' world title, Bulgarian volleyball once again has reasons to look boldly ahead.
Volleyball continues – and Bulgaria is part of the future.
February 9th is not just an occasion for retrospection, but for confidence that the game in our country is moving in the right direction.
Following the successes in 2025, the next big goal is clear:
The Olympic Games.
And if volleyball is a game of perseverance and character, Bulgaria has a chance to be where it belongs once again.
Note:
Although February 9th is often celebrated as the 'birthday of volleyball', archival research by the International Volleyball Hall of Fame casts doubt on the exact date and points to late 1895 as the most likely period for the game's formation.
