Volleyball may not be as popular as some other sports such as football and basketball, but it is still gaining more momentum by the day thanks to the effort of many amazing players. The question that now remains is who are the greatest volleyball players that have ever played the sport? We look at some of those who have changed the sport through the years, across different courts and both male and female.
Greatest Volleyball Players Ever
1. Karch Kiraly (USA)
Karch Kiraly, nicknamed “The Iron Man,” is universally regarded as volleyball’s greatest player. His unparalleled achievements, dominance, and lasting impact solidify his legendary status.
The Outside hitter won 3 Olympic Gold Medals in 1984, 1988, and 1992. Kiraly’s other achievements include 3 FIVB World Championships (986, 1990, and 1992), and multiple MVP honors, including Olympic and World Championship accolades.
Kiraly also coached UCLA to seven NCAA titles. He also coached the US women’s team to Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016.
One of his most recognized legacies apart from the fact that he was successful both as a coach and player is that he is the only player (man or woman) to have won Olympic medals in both the indoor and beach volleyball categories
2. Giba (Brazil)
Giba led Brazil to Olympic gold and three World Championships, cementing his status as a volleyball legend.
Born Gilberto Amauri de Godoy Filho, Giba is one of the greatest volleyball players ever. The outside hitter has two Olympic gold medals, 3 FIVB World Championships, 8 FIVB World Tour titles, and several MVP awards.
The 2012 Volleyball Hall of Fame had a career that lasted from 1995 to 2019.
3. Lorenzo Bernardi (Italy)
Italian former volleyball player and coach, Lorenzo Bernardi is another outside hitter who made great successes both as a player and as a coach. His playing career spanned from 1987 to 2007, after which he started coaching in 2007.
His achievements include 2 Olympic Silver Medals, 3 world championships, and 4 European Championships. He also has CEV Champions League titles and a FIVB World Cup title. Lorenzo is also a 2016 Volleyball Hall of Famer.
4. Regla Torres (Cuba)
Another of the greatest volleyball players is Cuba’s own Regla Torres. The best female volleyball player, she is a front blocker whose career began in 1991 and lasted until 2003.
Her career is highlighted by 3 Consecutive Olympic Gold Medals which she won in 1992, 1996, and 2000. Torres also has 3 World Championships, 4 FIVB World Cups, and 11 Pan American Games Titles to her name.
The exceptional player was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2007.
5. Sergey Tetyukhin (Russia)
Russian player, Sergey Tetyukhin, is another legendary volleyball player whose career spanned from 1992 to 2018. The iconic outside hitter won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2012. He also has silver and bronze medals in the Olympics.
Sergey has other accolades including 6 European Championships, 2 FIVB World Championships, 4 FIVB World League titles, and 4 CEV Champions League titles.
Sergey Tetyukhin was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2019.
6. Kerri Walsh Jennings (USA)
American beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings is yet another iconic player considered among the greatest the sport has seen.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist, she has many titles to her name including 3 FIVB World Championships, 4 AVP Championships, and 56 FIVB World Tour victories.
Kerri started her career in the early 2000s and still plays to date. She has won more than 130 international and domestic tournaments.
See Also: Alana Walker: Antoine Walker’s Daughter Is A Volleyball Star: 10 Facts
7. Misty May-Treanor (USA)
May-Treanor’s three Olympic gold medals and NCAA Player of the Year awards make her a volleyball icon. America’s iconic beach volleyball player is widely regarded as one of the greatest.
She is considered one of the most successful female volleyball players of all time with at least 112 titles in both international and domestic competitions. She began playing in 1999 and played until 2012 when she retired.
She has a total of 43 FIVB World Tour titles, making her a record holder, as well as 3 Olympic gold medals, 3 FIVB World Championships, and a 112-match winning streak which is the longest in professional history.
May-Treanor was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016.
8. Emanuel Rego (Brazil)
Emanuel Fernando Sheffer Rego is yet another of the greatest volleyball players ever. The former beach volleyball player started playing his career in 1996 and he continued until his retirement in the 2010s.
The Brazillian star played in five consecutive Summer Olympics, winning the Gold medal in 2004, a bronze in 2008, and then a silver in 2012. More so, he has three World Championships gold medals and two gold medals at the Pan American Games.
He is married to Leila Barros, who is also a former volleyball star and an Olympic bronze medalist.
9. Sheilla Tavares de Castro (Brazil)
FIVB’s Best Player in 2008 and 2011, Sheilla Tavares de Castro is the third Brazillian on the list. The Opposite spiker/Outside Hitter has a career that spanned from 2001 to 2021 before she retired, playing for her country’s national team and in various other clubs.
Castro won 2 Olympic Gold medals (2018 and 2012), 2 silver and a bronze medal at the FIVB World Championship, as well as a silver at the 2007 FIVB World Cup. More so, he has three World Championships gold medals and two gold medals at the Pan American Games.
10. Kim Yeon-Koung (South Korea)
South Korean professional volleyball player and a former member of the FIVB Athletes’ Commission is also considered to be one of the greatest volleyball players ever. The outside hitter who once captained her country’s national team played from the mid-2000s to the early 2020s.
Kim Yeon-koung’s impressive achievements include two bronze medals at the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics as well as a bronze and silver at the FIVB World Championships.
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