President, Parliament Honour Bulgaria’s National Volleyball Team following World Championship Triumph

Tatiana Marinova

President Rumen Radev with the players and staff of the Bulgarian national volleyball team, Sofia, October 1, 2025 (President's press secretariat Photo)

Sofia,

01.10.2025 21:34

(BTA)

Bulgaria’s men’s national volleyball team received high honours on Wednesday following their silver medal performance at the Men’s Volleyball World Championship in the Philippines. President Rumen Radev awarded honorary plaques to the team players, coaching staff, and Bulgarian Volleyball Federation members. MPs welcomed the volleyball team and their coaching staff with applause and a standing ovation in Parliament's debating chamber.

At the awarding ceremony, Radev said that the entire nation had experienced the team's victorious journey to the top of the volleyball world, and that, more importantly, they had brought a powerful, unifying emotion reminiscent of the glorious American summer of 1994, when the national football team finished fourth at the World Cup. "I will not address you as 'boys'. You were boys when you came here two years ago after winning bronze [at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship] in Qatar. Today, in the Hall of Coats of Arms, I welcome worthy Bulgarian men who have taken on the responsibility of defending the honour of their homeland. Two years ago, I told you that you were a ray of hope for Bulgarian sport. Today, I can say that you are the ray of hope that the whole of Bulgaria needed. What you have achieved is much more than a sporting triumph," the President told the volleyball players.

Head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini expressed gratitude for the warm welcome the team received upon returning to Bulgaria. "When we returned to Bulgaria, the incredible welcome we received yesterday made me think that the fans, children, mothers, fathers, and elderly people gave us much more than we gave them. The fact that our players have become role models for Bulgarian children and have managed to unite the Bulgarian people is something extraordinary and we will remember it for the rest of our lives," he said.

Team captain Aleks Grozdanov also spoke during the ceremony, vowing that the team would continue to work hard and strive for future success. "We are proud to carry the flag and I am sure that we will continue to work the same way," he said.

Bulgarian Volleyball Federation President Lyubomir Ganev said that they were very proud to have managed to unite the whole of Bulgaria and bring people out into the squares and streets. He noted that the team had achieved their success for the people and for Bulgaria, and assured that they would continue to do so.

Addressing the team in the debating chamber, Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova said: “For us, they are champions.” She proposed presenting each player with a plaque and wished that next year the gold would come to Sofia.

Deputy Parliament Chair Dragomir Stoynev praised the volleyball players, saying they had become “giants” who fought and won for Bulgaria, filling the nation with pride. “Their success is the success of all Bulgarian citizens,” he said.

/RD/IV/