The return of Chile to the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship had long been awaited, and it finally came this year in the Philippines.
Forty-three years after their first and only appearance in the global volleyball spectacle back in 1982, the Chileans made their comeback.
Though they finished their Pool E campaign winless after falling to Bulgaria in straight sets on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, the moment was still special for captain Dusan Bonacic and his teammates.
To make the experience even more memorable, the Chilean squad headed straight to the Merchandise Booth on the venue’s ground floor shortly after their final match to buy official souvenirs.
“For us, this World Championship stint is very important because we are playing again after 43 years. We don’t have much time to be tourists or hang out outside the hotel, so we found this nice store outside the court and I think it’s fantastic for every fan,” said Bonacic.
The 30-year-old outside spiker made sure to purchase Team Chile jersey shirts for his family, along with a “Hataw” plushie to bring home.
Hataw is one of the three official mascots of the 2025 World Championship, alongside Koolog and Kid Lat.
“I bought some t-shirts of Team Chile for my family, for my parents, and for my brothers. It’s a nice gift for them. I also bought this Hataw plushie for my bedroom—it’s going to be my souvenir of the World Championship,” Bonacic shared.
Other official merchandise available at the booths in MOA Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City includes bandanas, stickers, wristbands, country scarves, jackets, caps, tote bags, drawstring bags, umbrellas, lanyards, and limited-edition Hydroflasks designed especially for the tournament.
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