Japan head coach Laurent Tillie called on his squad to fight for every point as the Ryujin Nippon prepares for a tough Pool G campaign in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
Crowd favorites Japan arrived in Manila just in time for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, which runs from September 12-28.
Fresh off the plane, head coach Laurent Tillie acknowledged the tough road ahead but welcomed the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
“For us, it was a short trip, so it’s okay. We did a good preparation. Now, let’s see, we are in a tough group, tough pool. So first we have to go out and see what happens,” Tillie told reporters after arriving.
Tillie, who took over Japan's program in 2024 from Philippe Blain, emphasized that unpredictability will be a constant in Manila.
“We don’t know. World Championship, everything can happen. We have to be ready for chaos and be ready to fight every point, every set,” he stressed.
The Ryujin Nippon are bracketed in Pool G alongside Canada, Turkiye, and Libya, with matches set to be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
[ALSO READ: Everything you need to know about Pool G of the 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship]
Although Japan will miss the services of star opposite Yuji Nishida and veteran setter Masahiro Sekita, they will still lean on household names Ran Takahashi and team captain Yuki Ishikawa to carry the load.
The world No. 5 will look to improve on their 12th place finish back in 2022. The last time Japan secured a medal in the World Championship was way back in 1974.
“We want to fight and try to reach a podium, like many teams,” said Tille.
(With reports from Maureen Muarip/One Sports)
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
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