Romania slowly climbing back to relevance in the World

There was a time when Romania stood among the world’s best volleyball teams.

They captured a silver medal at the 1956 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, followed by bronze finishes in 1960 and 1962, and another silver in 1966. Their golden generation extended to the Olympic stage as well, where they claimed bronze in 1980.

But after that proud run, Romania gradually faded from the global spotlight, missing the World Championship from 1986 all the way to 2022. They ended a 43-year drought with their return to the tournament in 2025—only to see their campaign end swiftly with a 0-3 record in Pool B.

Yet despite the outcome, their participation stands as a beacon of hope—a signal that Romania is once again taking steps toward reclaiming the glory of its storied past.

“I think step by step, we need to become that Romania team again,” said top spiker Bela Bartha.

“Four years ago, we were winning in the Silver League; three years ago, we were playing in the qualification for the European Games; and today, we played our third game back in the World Championship,” he added.

For the Romanians, the climb back to the top will be long, but their long-awaited return has already laid the first stone on the path toward revival.

With the experience they gained in Manila, Bartha believes the team has begun building the foundation for a true comeback, aiming to turn the hard lessons from the World Championship into fuel for their push back toward the elite.

“Unfortunately, we lost all the games, but I’m proud of the team and of what we accomplished. I know these three games were very tough. I think they were a good lesson for us—to gain experience and learn to play better in the next tournaments,” said the 24-year-old middle blocker.

Now, Romania turns its focus to the 2026 Men’s European Volleyball Championship on home soil—another crucial step in its bid to rise once more among Europe’s best.

“Then we will play the European Championship at home in Romania, and we need to take it step by step. For sure, we will play good games and come back as one of the top teams.”

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