The Philippines was awarded the honor of hosting the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in 2025 by the International Volleyball Federation on Wednesday.
As the host of the most prestigious volleyball tournament in the world, the Philippines is automatically qualified, marking the first time the country will compete in the quadrennial event.
With more than one year to prepare before the country’s debut in the Worlds, Philippine men’s national team head coach Sergio Veloso has already established basic requirements for those who would be included in the lineup.
(C) PNVF
“For me, it doesn’t matter if you are a senior player or new to the team; you need to show me your best,” said Veloso on Wednesday night after his Ateneo women’s team lost to the University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP.
“This is my proposal: Regardless of who you are, you need to perform in practice and confirm it in the match,” added the Brazilian tactician.
He even recalled instances in the past where mainstays needed to compete fiercely with up-and-coming talents in volleyball.
Veloso was appointed by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation in March 2023 and had his first tournament during the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games in May of the same year.
There, the Nationals finished in fifth place by winning both placement matches.
“Now, you might ask who’s more famous? Bryan Bagunas, Marck Espejo, but in the last season, Umandal showed that he can play. After that, when Bagunas and Espejo returned, they needed to fight with Umandal for the position. It’s good because this creates healthy competition,” said Veloso.
“In our first tournament in the SEA Games, we played with Disquitado, who was 18 years old. We played with Dela Noche, who was 19, we played with Taguibolos, who was 20, Ordiales was 20,” he continued, emphasizing the talented pool of players.
As he leads the team’s inaugural participation in the Worlds, Veloso admitted that it would be a tall task for the Philippines, and with it, he just wants the players to give their all for the flag in front of their uniforms, not for the name at the back.
There would be 32 teams qualifying for the competition grouped into eight pools. The top two teams of each pool will advance to the knockout stages.
The Philippines currently holds 57th place in the world rankings.
(C) PNVF
“With this situation regarding the World Championships, it’s a significant responsibility,” said Veloso, acknowledging the huge volleyball fanbase in the Philippines.
“I’m happy with the situation, but I need to tell my players that we have to show our fans the best no matter who is on the other side, regardless of the score, whether it’s 3-0 or we win 3-0, we need to do our best because the Philippine flag is the most important.”
