Italy's men's volleyball national team captain Simone Giannelli made history during the Volleyball Nations League 2026 match between Italy and Argentina, played on Saturday, July 18, in Osaka, Japan. The Italian setter reached 100 career kill blocks in the competition, becoming the first Italian — and the only non-middle blocker — to achieve this milestone in VNL history.
Giannelli entered the match with 99 VNL kill blocks and reached the 100th mark during the first set. Over the next two sets, he added two more stuffs, finishing the match with three kill blocks and four kills in attack. His career VNL total now stands at 102 kill blocks, more than any other Italian in the history of the tournament.
Italy dominated Argentina with a convincing 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22) victory in Pool 9 of the preliminary phase at the Maruzen Intec Arena in Osaka. Opposite hitter Yuri Romano led all scorers with 15 points, including one ace and one block. Outside hitter Mattia Bottolo added 13 points, while Argentina's opposite German Gomez also finished with 13 points.
"Playing a good level of volleyball — this is always important," Giannelli told VBTV after the match. "I think today we showed a very good level of volleyball against a very good team like Argentina. They gave us pressure with defense, but we were calm and we played our volleyball, so I am proud of my team. But we have another match tomorrow and we have to recover and be present again."
With this win, Italy climbed to fifth place in the VNL standings with a 7-4 win-loss record and 23 points. Argentina sit 14th at 3-8 and 10 points. The VNL 2026 continues with more matches in Osaka, Belgrade, and Chicago before the final round.
Giannelli's achievement is particularly remarkable given his role as a setter — playmakers are not typically known for their blocking stats, making his milestone even more significant in the international volleyball landscape.
Sources
- Volleyball World — "Giannelli raises 100 career VNL kill blocks as Italy sweep game with Argentina": https://en.volleyballworld.com/volleyball/competitions/volleyball-nations-league/news/giannelli-raises-100-career-vnl-kill-blocks-as-italy-sweep-game-with-argentina
