It’s not that easy to choose the best volleyball player in the world. There are a couple of players who play on a great level for years and picking the best one is hard.
We at Listice decided to assess which one is the best by considering their performance throughout the years, what they won with their clubs and national teams, and their individual awards.
Here’s the list of the 10 best volleyball players:
1. Wilfredo Leon
Nationality: Poland
DOB: 31 July 1993
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Wilfredo Leon is a Cuban national who also holds Polish citizenship. He was a member of the Cuban national team until 2012 when he decided to leave the country and stop playing for the national team. He has Polish citizenship as a result of his Polish fiancée, but he debuted in the Polish national team in 2019. From 2014 to 2018, he was a member of Zenit Kazan, one of the strongest volleyball clubs in the world. He has received several individual honours, including the CEV Champions League’s Best Outside Spiker Most Valuable Player in 2016. He was the wealthiest volleyball player in Zenit Kazan, earning well over €1.200.000 a season. He is currently playing for Perugia.
He’s the real deal, and he’s invaluable to both his club and the Polish national team. He is the best player in the world, thanks to his consistent form over the last ten years, numerous tournament victories, and hundreds of individual awards.
2. Jenia Grebennikov
Nationality: France
DOB: 13 August 1990
Position: Libero
Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Volleyball liberos have a difficult task. Since you don’t score points, it’s difficult to rate you among the best volleyball players. But everybody who follows volleyball knows that he deserved to be on this list more than anyone else.
Jenia Grebennikov is an expert in the field of security. He’s still in the right place, and it’s not easy to score a point against France or anyone else when he’s on the field. With Lube Civitanova, Jenia won the FIVB Club World Championship twice, the CEV Champions League three times, the CEV European Championship once, and the FIVB World League once. He won the Best Libero Player award ten times during great tournaments.
3. Matthew Anderson
Nationality: USA
DOB: April 18, 1987
Position: Outside hitter/Opposite
Height: 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
Matthew Anderson is a volleyball legend in both the United States and abroad. He is a Zenit Kazan legend, having spent seven years there. He won 20 titles during this period, including five CEV Champions League titles. Matthew competed in the FIVB World Cup in 2015 and the FIVB World League in 2014 with the USA squad. Through his national team, he won a total of 13 medals. Anderson’s career was put on hold in October of 2014. He requested that his contract with Zenit Kazan be terminated due to depression.
Anderson announced his return to Zenit in December 2014. In the last eight years, he has been a key figure. Penn State Nittany Lions, Hyundai Capital, Tonno CallipoVibo Valentia, and Casa Mode were among his former clubs.
4. Bruno Rezende
Nationality: Brazil
DOB: 2 July 1986
Position: Setter
Height: 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Despite the fact that Bruno is 34 this year, he is still regarded as the best setter. He spent a few seasons in Italian clubs before returning to Brazil. He still sets the ball like the best setter in the world, no matter where he plays. I recall him from his appearances with Brazil, where he was almost always the number one player. His list of achievements in Brazil is extensive. It is without a doubt one of the most decorated volleyball players in the world. Bruno Rezende also won the Club World Championship and the Champions League with Lube Civitanova in 2019.
I’m not aware of another setter who has appeared in as many finals of prestigious tournaments and aided his team as Bruno has.
5. Bartosz Kurek
Nationality: Poland
DOB: 29 August 1988
Position: Outside hitter/Opposite
Height: 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in)
When you think of the Polish national volleyball team, Bartosz Kurek is possibly one of the first names that comes to mind. Indeed, this player is not only one of Poland’s strongest, but also one of the best in the world. Kurek is a player who has struggled to make an impact with his clubs. Maybe it’s because he’s been to 12 clubs in his career and hasn’t been able to find a home. His greatest achievement was a silver medal with SkraBelchatow in the CEV Champions League in 2012. For Polish volleyball fans, he is a hero because he led this team to victory at the 2018 FIVB World Championship and first place in the FIVB World League in 2012.
Some might argue that he had better and worse times in his career, but he was able to resolve each setback, and that is how a great sportsman is defined.
6. Earvin N’Gapeth
Nationality: France
DOB: 12 February 1991
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Earvin N’Gapeth is one of the most divisive volleyball players in the world. That doesn’t alter the fact that he’s a tremendously talented player. He’s a key figure in the French volleyball scene. N’Gapeth shared the FIVB World League twice with France, as well as the CEV European Championship. In a couple of tournaments, he was named the Most Valuable Player. He’s been with Zenit Kazan since 2018, and it seems to be a good fit for the French outside hitter. Earvin has also earned a Champions League silver medal and a Club World Championship bronze medal.
Earvin N’Gapeth is on the list of the best volleyball players in the world for a reason.
He still goes out of his way to help his team win every possible match, and the majority of his teammates are terrified of him.
7. Osmany Juantorena
Nationality: Italy
DOB: 12 August 1985
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
After Wilfredo Leon, Juantorena is another player of Cuban ancestry. He played for Cuba for a few years before deciding to further his career with Ural Ufa in Russia. Trentino, Halkbank Ankara, and Lube Civitanova were among his former clubs. His time in Italian clubs yielded a lot of results. He won the Champions League three times, the Club World Championship four times, and a few other national titles.
8. Ricardo Lucarelli Souza
Nationality: Brazil
DOB: 14 February 1992
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
It’s amazing how quickly time passes. Lucarelli made his debut in Brazil as a 20-year-old, inexperienced player, and now he’s one of the best volleyball players in the world. Ricardo Lucarelli is known for his strong serves and offensive prowess. Brazil is better with this outside hitter, and he has helped them win 13 medals in major tournaments. He chose to spend the majority of his career in Brazil, where he played for Funvic Taubate, SESI So Paulo, and Minas Tenis Clube. In 2020, he joined Trentino Volley, one of the best volleyball teams in the world.
Lucarelli will quickly rise to the top of this list, as he will be able to play volleyball for at least another 5 years. He has a lot of promise, so putting him in this ranking is a good idea.
9. Ivan Zaytsev
Nationality: Italy
DOB: October 2, 1988
Position: Right Side Hitter
Height: 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Growing up, everyone wanted to be like Zaytsev. He’s always been a great player, and now he’s even better. Zaytsev is the fourth player in this ranking who has various origins while playing for different countries. When Ivan was 16 years old, he started playing professionally in the Italian league. His serves are solid, and some experts consider him to be the best player in the field. He’s a great player, but he’s never won a gold medal with Italy, and he’s only won one gold medal in an international competition.
10. Wallace de Souza
Nationality: Brazil
DOB: 26 June 1987
Position: Opposite
Height: 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
Wallace is the true assassin. He can score from almost any spot on the field. He spent his entire professional life in Brazil. He had the opportunity to play for better European clubs, but he chose to remain in his home country. Wallace is a true conglomeration of his clubs, but he is best known for his work with the Brazilian national team. His greatest achievement was winning the 2016 Olympic Games. He was also named the tournament’s Best Opposite Spiker. Wallace is a solid player who has consistently performed well throughout his career.
He could be invaluable to almost every club on the planet. His abilities are exceptional, and he poses a threat to most teams.
We hope you found some much needed on the best volleyball players in the game right now!