World No. 1 Poland did not want to be the latest of powerhouse teams to suffer an upset in the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.
Poland kept themselves in check after they held off the Netherlands in a competitive four-setter to come out on top of Pool B at the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday evening.
That is, after seeing multiple teams suffer upsets on Tuesday, the World No. 1 team was a little more on their toes.
Though they didn’t mind any other team apart from themselves, team captain Bortasz Kurek said that they were trying a little harder to avoid getting handed the same treatment as the likes of France and Italy, who both lost to lower-ranked teams in a crucial part of the tournament.
Additionally, Top 30 team Egypt fell against host squad Alas Pilipinas in an emphatic upset at the Mall of Asia Arena — giving the Philippines its first-ever win at the World Championship.
[READ: Alas Pilipinas make history in FIVB Worlds with four-set victory over Egypt]
“We look only to at ourselves. I think this tournament showed already that surprises happen left and right,” Kurek told media after the match.
“Us being number one in the world ranking, whichever loss for us, I guess it's a surprise. So we didn't want to join this club,” he continued.
@onesportsphl 'SUPRISES HAPPEN LEFT AND RIGHT' Poland team captain Bartosz Kurek says they’re ready for the battle against Canada in the Round of 16. He added that the team is staying alert after recent upset results and more determined to live up to their world no. 1 ranking by performing at their best in the 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship. | Luisa Morales, Aivan Episcope/One Sports #MWCH2025 #Philippines2025 #OSOnTheSpot
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There’s a little more at stake moving forward for Poland, though, as they now face a win-or-go-home situation starting from the Round of 16.
Going up against fellow capable teams, the Poles will have to be on their best as a misstep can mean the end of the line for the 2022 runner-ups. The real battle will begin on Saturday against Canada in the Round of 16 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.