As the Men's European Volleyball Championship in September 2026 approaches, the first predictions for the continent's strengths are already beginning to emerge. Interestingly, Bulgaria is absent from the medal calculations in these predictions.
A similar article was published on the Italian websitevolleynews.itunder the title"Europei maschili 2026: Italia tra le favorite. Polonia e Francia le rivali più pericolose" (Men's European Championship 2026: Italy among the favorites. Poland and France - the most dangerous rivals). The text represents more of a preliminary look at the main contenders rather than an in-depth analysis, with some conclusions tied to odds from online platforms – an indicator that it's more about market expectations than a purely expert assessment.Expectedly, host Italy is placed among the main favorites, with an emphasis on the team's class and the home advantage factor. Poland is designated as "the team to beat," and France as one of the most dangerous title contenders. Slovenia and Serbia, which traditionally perform stably at major forums, also fall into the group of strong teams.
However, there is also a serious "but" concerning Italy. The uncertainty surrounding the condition of one of their big stars – Alessandro Michieletto – remains significant, as he missed the club season with Trentino due to a severe back injury. Added to this are the question marks around Daniele Lavia – after a long absence due to a serious injury (crushed fingers on his right hand), he returned to play but is again out of action for an indefinite period. For both, it remains unclear whether they will be 100% ready for the most important volleyball forum on the continent.
It is notable, however, that Bulgaria is not mentioned at all among the leading teams. This is indicative of the current perception of our national team on the international stage, despite the presence of talented players and a rejuvenated squad. This seems even more surprising given the "Lions'" performance at the last World Championship in Manila, where the Bulgarian team caused a real sensation, reaching the final, where they faced Italy. In this context, Bulgaria's absence reflects current market predictions and odds rather than a definitive expert assessment of the team's real capabilities.
On the one hand, perhaps it is better for Bulgaria not to be placed among the favorites. This would relieve pressure from our young squad and allow the team to play without the unnecessary burden of expectations. On the other hand, purely strategically speaking, the European title has immense value, as the champion receives a direct quota for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
The reality, however, is that the main task for our national team remains different – consistent performance throughout the season. This includes the extremely tough tournament battles in the Volleyball Nations League, where every victory brings valuable points for the world ranking. It is the accumulation of assets in the ranking that is the key path to Olympic qualification, which makes the team's consistency and development far more important than momentary predictions.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov

снимка: Николай Варадинов