It was supposed to be a formality for Japan, but the Turks showed volleyball that surprised everyone

They went to the world championships as a candidate for a medal

The Japanese team entered this year's World Championship as a top contender for a medal. They've been among the top teams in the Nations League for the past three seasons. Last year, they even reached the grand final. They've had a very good run in recent weeks.

Although they were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Nations League after losing to Poland, they had already finished fourth in the regular season. Furthermore, the World Championships are being held in Asia, which was supposed to be another advantage for the volleyball team from the Land of the Rising Sun.

A sensational defeat. The Turks played brilliantly.

The experts agreed. The opening round of Group G at the World Championships was expected to be uneventful. A comfortable victory for Japan over Turkey was expected. The two teams were separated by a gulf in the FIVB rankings. Furthermore, the Asians usually compete for top honors in the Nations League, while the Turks only compete in the European League. However, this wasn't evident on the pitch.

The Turkish team played brilliantly. They gained momentum with each successive set. In two sets, the Japanese team didn't even break the 20-point barrier. This best demonstrates the scale of their dominance. The Turks played top-notch volleyball and fully deservedly won 3-0. The most points for the winners were scored by:

· Ramazan Efe Mandiraci (17),

· Adis Lagumdzija (15),

· Mirza Lagumdzija (8).

This result surprised the volleyball community around the world.

The defeat to Turkey was no accident. The Japanese team quickly bowed out of the tournament.

Two days later, it turned out that the defeat to Turkey was no fluke. The Japanese team completely missed the mark in their World Cup form and, after just two rounds of Group G, lost their chance of advancing. They were supposed to face Poland in the Round of 16 or the quarterfinals, but they didn't even advance from their group.

The final straw was a 3-0 loss to Canada in the second round. The Asian team was once again helpless and deservedly lost. The Japanese team now have only a bye-bye match against Libya, where they should claim a consolation victory.

Türkiye and Canada continue to play on Polsat

All World Championship matches in the Philippines can be watched on Polsat's sports channels. This is great news for Polish fans who are following the most important volleyball matches in 2025.

Go to Polsatsport.pl