Bartosz Kurek appeared after the break. An important signal regarding the captain of the national team

We informed about Bartosz Kurek’s problems and the news related to the volleyball player’s health, coming directly from Japan, at the beginning of October. After one season in PlusLiga, the attacker decided to return to the Asian league. This is certainly a big loss for the national competition, because “Kuraś” is a legendary figure who could still contribute to the results of one of the Polish clubs.

Bartosz Kurek and his health. We know what happened to the national team captain’s injury

In the 2025/26 season, Kurek will play for the Tokyo Great Bears. This was the direction “Kuraś” chose after breaking up with ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle. In the colors of the club he played for years ago, the captain of the Polish national team managed to enter the play-off phase. However, ZAKSA did not manage to get through the quarter-finals, losing after a fierce series to the future Polish champions – Bogdanka LUK Lublin.

Additionally, Kurek suffered an injury at a key moment and was unable to support his teammates. The health situation repeated itself at the beginning of the national team season, due to which “Kuraś” lost the opportunity to play in the Nations League, and then in the above-mentioned, most important moment of the World Cup in the Philippines.

What now? The cock is already in Japan. He showed up on site and everything seems to be going according to plan.

– I’m looking forward to playing in Japan after the break – admitted the Pole, quoted by the club’s media, with an attached photo full of smiles from the volleyball player.

Men’s Volleyball World Championships: The sixth medal for the Polish national team in history

The bronze medals won in the 2025 World Championships in the Philippines are the sixth time that Polish volleyball players have been on the podium in an event of this type. Interestingly, Polish volleyball achieved most of its successes in the 21st century. In modern times, Poles have won as many as five out of six medals, if you look at the all-time rankings.

However, it started with the legendary team of coach Hubert Wagner, which became world champions during the 1974 World Championships in Mexico. The golden “Kata” team repeated its dominance two years later (1976), during the Olympic tournament in Montreal. But that’s a story for a completely different, longer story.

Polish volleyball players have won consecutive World Championship medals since 2006. Then, during the tournament held in Japan, Poles won silver medals. Since that event, only once (!) has Poland failed to find its place on the podium of the Men’s Volleyball World Championships. It took place in 2010, during an event in Italy.

In 2014 and 2018, Poles became world champions, first winning the event in great style on their home soil – through the National Stadium in Warsaw, the Centennial Hall in Wrocław, the Atlas Arena in Łódź, to the Spodek in Katowice – and winning the final for gold against Brazil. Four years later (2018), the team defended the title in the tournament held in Italy and Bulgaria, again after winning the final against the Brazilians.

Plus the year 2022, this time a silver medal. Brazil was defeated for the third time, this time in the semi-finals, but in the game for gold in the Spodek Arena in Katowice (Poland and Slovenia host the World Cup), they lost and took the runner-up title. And the most recent story, a bronze medal – for the first time in the history of the World Championships – after winning over the Czech Republic.