The unsung hero of the Polish national volleyball team. He responded to his critics with great class!
Stepping into the shoes of Paweł Zatorski, the 2024 Olympic runner-up and the all-time Polish national team multi-medalist, is certainly no easy feat. The entry threshold for anyone stepping into the libero position is high, and that level is even higher when we're talking about a well-functioning machine.
And this is what coach Nikola Grbić has created since 2022, selecting successive elements depending on the situations he encounters. This time, it was time to focus on Jakub Popiwczak. Contrary to many opinions, which were often very unfair.
Jakub Popiwczak responded to critics. Successful tournament for Polish liberoIt's hard not to get the impression that the very act of stepping into the number one role in the Polish national team doesn't happen overnight. Popiwczak's case is a perfect example. He's one of the best in his field, judging by his consistency in the PlusLiga competitions – and that's over the course of several years. The national team, without the aforementioned Zatorski, currently has the experienced (but primarily club-focused) Popiwczak and the young Maksymilian Granieczny as libero players.
The latter is undoubtedly the future of the Polish national team. What's more, Granieczny will replace Popiwczak in the JSW Jastrzębski Węgiel colors next season. "Piwko," meanwhile, has moved to Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, so both national team liberos, if this arrangement holds, will continue to enjoy their time in the PlusLiga.
Returning to Popiwczak himself, there were even calls for Granieczny to become the number one pick right now, given the teenager's immense talent and potential. It seems Granieczny will continue to grow alongside Popiwczak, but "Piwko" proved during the 2025 VNL finals that he's a very reliable addition to the team.
"I'm thrilled. I won't deny that the last two weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster. It started with the first game in Gdańsk for some of us, this current group. There were defeats, something we weren't very accustomed to in this team. We came here a little unsure of what we were capable of. But from that first match against Japan, the first set, nine in total, we came through unscathed. Playing really good volleyball. Beating all the greats in the volleyball world. So I'm incredibly proud of the team, all the guys, every member of the staff. Because everyone put a lot of heart, work, and energy into finishing it the way we did today. Hats off to everyone, we did something great," Popiwczak analyzed.
It's also important to remember that Popiwczak suffered health problems towards the end of the club season, which prevented him from playing in both the decisive playoff round and, additionally, in the Champions League Final Four. It was a sad end to a long and distinguished career in Jastrzębie-Zdrój for a man who had taken his first serious steps at the JSW Academy. Although, to be precise, Popiwczak left for the bigger Silesian volleyball scene from... Lower Silesia, specifically Legnica.
Once a youngster, he'll turn thirty next year. It seems like the perfect time for Popiwczak to be the national team's number one.
"Our greatest strength? I think it's our team spirit. How many great players we have, how many substitutions, how many players have been able to show their skills over the last few matches, the entire tournament, and also since the start of the season in the Nations League. So that's what I would bet on the most," Popiwczak said after the 3-0 final against Italy.
The Polish libero finished Sunday's gold medal match with a 53% service reception rate, a positive figure. Popiwczak also impressed defensively throughout the VNL final tournament in China, contributing both with good positioning and supporting the team on situational passes (deep fielding, etc.), playing very solidly.
And closing the VNL tournament with gold is a significant international milestone for the volleyball player himself. It's worth noting that in 2023, also the gold medal for Poland in the Nations League, Zatorski received the MVP award. Two years later, Popiwczak sent a clear signal that he was ready for a major challenge with coach Nikola Grbić's team.
The gold medal won at the 2025 VNL is the second gold medal for Polish volleyball players in this competition. The Poles previously won in 2023, during a tournament held at the Ergo Arena in Tricity.
Interestingly, looking at the all-time standings, the Polish national team has taken the lead. They have two gold medals, one silver, and three bronze medals. The Nations League, which has been played since 2018, is the younger sister of the former World League. Polish volleyball players have won the "World League" only once before, in 2012.
It's worth noting that the bronze medals at the 2025 VNL were won by Brazil. Brazil, defeated by Poland 3-0 in the semifinals, defeated Slovenia – the tournament's surprise – in four sets in Sunday's third-place match. The Slovenians were able to defeat the two-time Olympic champions and defending VNL 2024 champions, France, in the quarterfinals. As you can see, a lot happened in the Chinese Final Eight.
Read also: Nikola Grbić is moved after his success. The coach of the Polish volleyball team admitted it openly. Read also: Polish volleyball players are made of gold! Concert final and knockout of the world champions.
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