Turkiye captured their second Volleyball Nations League women's title on Sunday in Macao, coming from behind to defeat Brazil 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-21) in a thrilling gold-medal match that showcased the highest level of international volleyball.
Melissa Vargas delivered a historic individual performance, scoring 33 points — the most ever by any player in a single VNL final match, men's or women's. The Turkish opposite hitter attacked at 51% efficiency, registering 27 kills, three aces and three blocks. Her offensive output proved decisive as Turkiye recovered from losing the opening set to dominate the crucial phases of the match.
Brazil started strongly, with outside hitter Ana Cristina scoring eight points in the first set alone to guide her team to a 25-23 opener. The South Americans built a five-point lead at 23-18 before Turkiye mounted a late surge, but substitute opposite Kisy Nascimento closed out the set for Brazil.
The momentum shifted in the second set as Vargas took over. After a tight exchange, outside Hande Baladin pushed Turkiye to set point with a monster block, and Vargas hammered the 25-23 winner. The third set followed a similar pattern — neither side able to build more than a two-point lead until Turkiye edged ahead 26-24 on a spike error from Ana Cristina.
In the fourth set, Turkiye raced to an 8-2 lead and stretched it to 13-7. Brazil mounted a spirited comeback, even taking a 19-18 lead after a run of serves by Ana Cristina. But Vargas regained control in the money time, and setter Elif Sahin sealed the match with a clever tip to complete the 25-21 win.
Turkiye's superior defensive discipline proved pivotal — they committed just 12 unforced errors against 17 by Brazil, and edged the blocking battle 14-13. Outside hitters Hande Baladin (19 points) and Ilkin Aydin (15) provided valuable support to Vargas.
For Brazil, Ana Cristina led all scorers with 25 points (20 kills, three blocks, two aces), followed by opposite Rosamaria Montibeller with 19, outside Julia Bergmann with 15 and middle blocker Luzia da Silva Nezzo with 11. The silver medal extends Brazil's agonising wait for a first VNL gold — this was their fifth runners-up finish in the competition's history.
"This is incredible," said an emotional Gizem Orge, Turkiye's libero and captain, speaking courtside after the match. "I don't know how to put it into words. Brazil's fight was incredible — it was a really great final. I am so proud of everyone who contributed to this team."
The title adds to Turkiye's growing pedigree in women's volleyball. Their first VNL crown came in 2023, and the team has now firmly established itself among the world elite under head coach Daniele Santarelli.
Italy claimed the bronze medal earlier in the day, defeating China 3-1 in the third-place match at Macao's Galaxy Arena.
Sources
- https://en.volleyballworld.com/volleyball/competitions/volleyball-nations-league/news/turkiye-triumph-as-vnl-champions-for-second-time-in-history
- https://www.volleyball.it/2026/07/26/notizie/argomenti/vnl-femminile/articolo/vnl-femminile-la-turchia-rimonta-il-brasile-e-conquista-il-suo-secondo-titolo.html
