Since it began participating in qualification tournaments, Finland has yet to step foot on the Olympic stage, nor has it ever broken through via the world ranking pathway.
Yet on Tuesday night, they defied all odds—toppling back-to-back Olympic champion France in what may go down as Finland’s greatest triumph on the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship stage.
Thrown into a do-or-die situation against one of the best, if not the very best, teams in the world, Finland refused to back down and stunned France, 25-19, 17-25, 29-27, 21-25, 15-9, earning its first win in the 32-nation tournament.
“It’s really, really big for us,” said Joonas Jokela, who scored 20 points in the victory.
“Obviously, we haven’t played that much against these top teams in the world, especially we haven’t won against them, and yeah, this gives us a lot of confidence for the next games,” he added.
For Jokela, the win was made even sweeter by the sight of a handful of Finnish fans who had traveled halfway across the world to witness history—sharing a moment that was as much about pride as it was about victory.
“It’s so amazing. People use their own money and time, and they travel halfway across the world to support us. I’m so happy they came here, and I’m so proud of our team that we gave them something to cheer for,” the 26-year-old opposite spiker said.
Jokela stressed that this unwavering support will be vital as Finland looks to ride the momentum of its historic upset and prepare for another crucial clash—this time against Korea on September 18, with a coveted Round of 16 berth on the line.
“It’s super important. Like I said before, this win gave us a chance to advance [to the Round of 16]. I think we’re third, we have not gone through yet, but this gave us a real chance,” he added.
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