Poland won the EuroVolley 2026 gold medal match by defeating France 3-1 at the Unipol Forum di Assago in Milano, securing their third tournament title and an automatic berth in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The White-and-Reds posted set scores of 31-29, 25-19, 20-25, and 25-16 in front of a sell-out crowd, successfully defending their European crown under the direction of coach Nikola Grbic.
Match Progression and Set-by-Set Breakdown
France opened the grand finale with strong pressure, though Wilfredo Leon immediately set the tone for Poland with three consecutive aces to start the match at 4-1. A timeout called by France head coach Andrea Giani helped Les Bleus level the score at 5-all. Both teams maintained a high tempo through the opening frame until a block on Bartlomiej Boladz allowed France to tie it, followed by Mathis Henno securing France’s first lead at 18-17. After a series of tense exchanges and challenges, Poland’s opposite Boladz closed out a grueling first set at 31-29.
The energy from the opening frame carried over into the second set, where Poland raced to a dominant 12-4 lead. Wilfredo Leon continued his offensive output, adding to his initial seven points from the first set as Poland extended their advantage to 17-7. France struggled to match the depth and variety of Poland’s roster, and despite substitutions from Giani, Poland comfortably closed out the second set 25-19 to double their match lead.
Following a six-minute break, France regrouped in the third set, surging to an 11-4 lead behind Théo Faure, Mathis Henno, and Mousse Gueye. Although Poland narrowed the gap to 13-10, France maintained composure, with Henno sealing the set at 25-20. This marked only the fourth set Poland conceded during the entire tournament.
Undeterred by the third-set setback, Poland opened the fourth set with a 6-3 run. Their consistent execution widened the gap to 12-8 and eventually 20-13. Despite France saving two match points, Poland wrapped up the set and the match at 25-16.
Tournament Statistics and Individual Accolades
Wilfredo Leon earned the Most Valuable Player award for the competition following his commanding performance throughout the tournament and the gold medal match. While France’s Mathis Henno and Théo Faure led all scorers in the final with 20 and 18 points respectively, Poland relied on a balanced offensive attack. Five Polish players finished the match in double figures: Bartlomiej Boladz with 16 points, Wilfredo Leon and Fornal with 13 points each, Bartlomiej Lemanski with 12 points, and Semeniuk with 10 points.
Coach Nikola Grbic added to his managerial resume, having guided Poland to 10 medals across all international competitions during his tenure. Grbic also joined Italy’s Ferdinando De Giorgi and Andrea Anastasi as the only individuals to win EuroVolley both as a player and as a coach.
“It is an incredible feeling – we played a great match against a truly tough opponent, who made things difficult for us,” Grbic said after the victory, acknowledging the traveling supporters who filled the Milano arena.
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