After being sidelined by a knee injury in the last edition, Wilfredo Leon has returned with fire in his eyes — determined to finally carry Poland to the championship in his long-awaited first FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship appearance with the national team.
Born in Cuba, Leon was granted Polish citizenship in 2015 but was only cleared to play for the national team in 2019. That same year, he made his long-awaited debut, helping Poland capture bronze in the European Championship and silver in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup.
Just as he was hitting his stride, however, the COVID-19 pandemic halted his momentum.
When international play resumed, the 32-year-old outside hitter finally made his Olympic debut at the 2021 Tokyo Games. But after a dominant group stage run, Poland’s campaign ended in heartbreak with a five-set quarterfinal loss to eventual champion France.
Leon’s long-awaited World Championship debut was then delayed once more, as a knee injury sidelined him during Poland’s failed three-peat bid in the previous edition.
“You can’t imagine [how badly I wanted this]. I have no words for it,” said the two-time CEV Champions League MVP after Poland’s commanding sweep of Turkey that secured them a semifinal berth.
Now, in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, Leon is finally where he has dreamed of being — representing Poland on the sport’s grandest stage, eager to turn years of setbacks into a chance at glory.
This time, everything seems to align: a fully loaded roster, the No. 1 world ranking, and their clearest path yet to reclaim the crown.
“I was working a lot, I was waiting for this moment. The previous one, I wasn’t on the team. Now I am, and I came here to fight hard for this,” said Leon, who also helped Poland capture back-to-back VNL titles in the lead-up to the World Championship.
For Leon, though, the mission is more than just about winning — it’s about gratitude. Every victory is his way of repaying the country that embraced him, gave him a new home, and entrusted him with its volleyball dreams.
“I don’t have the gold medal [yet]. So this is the best motivation that I have right now. My motivation is I’m always hungry. I need medals and I need gold medals, that’s why I’m pushing all the time. I hope as soon as we have it I’ll try to have a second one.”
Before he can complete his redemption arc, however, Leon and Poland must first overcome their toughest hurdle yet: a semifinal clash with defending champion Italy — the same team that denied them in the last World Championship final.
Ranked No. 2 in the world, the Azzurri remain one of Poland’s greatest rivals, and Leon is eager to finally show what his presence can bring on the biggest stage.
“[They’re] one of the biggest opponents that we always have. Every team wants to play against Italy. This is something that will give you more emotions,” Leon said.
“Also, it’s always a pleasure for the Polish team to play against Italy because both are very high level. In the rankings, we are first and second. It’s always a battle between both teams.”
