The quiet hero of the Polish volleyball team. He answered critics with great class!

Entering Paweł Zatorski’s shoes, Olympic runner -up from the IO 2024, an absolute multimedia in the history of the Polish national team, certainly is not an easy task. The entry threshold for expectations towards a man who is in the position of libero is high, and this level increases when it comes to a well -functioning machine.

And such since 2022 was created by coach Nikola Grbić, choosing subsequent elements, depending on the situations that encounter him. This time it was time to bet on Jakub Popiwczak. Contrary to many opinions, which were often very harmful.

Jakub Popiwczak answered the critics. A successful Libero tournament of Poles

It is hard not to get the impression that the mere fact of jumping into the number one role in the Polish national team is something that does not happen “immediately”. The case of the ash is a perfect example here. I am talking about one of the best in your profession, if you look at the regularity of the volleyball player in PlusLiga – and in a few nice years. The representation, not having in its ranks to mention the libero, has currently experienced – but mainly club – ash and young Maksymilian Graniczny.

The latter is certainly the future of the Polish national team. What’s more, in the new season it will replace … ash in the colors of JSW Jastrzębski Węgiel. “Piwko” moved to Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, so both representative libero, if this system persists, will continue to enjoy their game in PlusLiga.

Returning, however, to the ashes itself, there were even voices about the fact that it was a game here and now that he would become “one”. Due to the huge scale of the teenager’s talent and capabilities. It seems, however, that Granieczny will grow at Popiwczak, but “beer” during the VNL 2025 finals proved that he is a very reliable point of the team.

– I’m delighted. I will not hide that the last two weeks was a bit of sinusoid. It started with the first playing in Gdańsk for some of us from this current group. There were failures, there was something that we were not very accustomed to in this team. We came here so uncertain, what we can do. But from this first meeting with Japan, the first set to a total of nine, we went through them with a dry foot. Playing really good volleyball. Defeating all the great volleyball world. So that I am incredibly proud of the team, of all boys, with every member of the staff. Because everyone put a lot of hearts, work, lots of energy in to crown it in the way it is today. Hats from the heads in front of everyone, we did something great – Analyzed Popiwczak.

It should also be remembered that in the end of the club season, he included health problems, which excluded him from playing both in the decisive play-off phase, as well as problems in the Final Four of the Champions League Final Four Tournament. It was a sad ending of a long and beautiful career in Jastrzębie-Zdrój for a man who took his first serious steps at the JSW Academy. Although, for the sake of accuracy, to a larger volleyball in Silesia, as a more specifically from Lower Silesia, more specifically from Legnica.

Once a young boy will end thirty next year. It seems that for the ash is the perfect time for number 1 in the national team.

– Our greatest strength? I think team. How many great players we have, how many changes, how many players could show up throughout these last matches, the whole tournament, but also from the beginning of the season in the League of Nations. So that I would bet on it the most – assessed the ash after the final with Italy (3: 0).

He ended the Sunday match for gold of Poles with 53 percent. The effectiveness of taking a service, looking at this positive value. The VNL in China also impressed in defense throughout the entire final tournament in China, adding its good positioning and supporting the team with situational balls (exhibition from the depths of the field, etc.), playing very solidly.

And closing the VNL tournament with gold is an important representative step for the volleyball player himself. It is worth recalling that in 2023, also Zatorski received the MVP award for Poles in the League of Nations. Two years later, Popiwczak sent a clear signal that he was ready for big challenges in the team of coach Nikola Grbic.

League of Nations: Second gold for the Polish national team! Poles, the table leader

Gold won during VNL 2025 is the second medal of this color for Polish volleyball players in this competition. Earlier, Poles won in 2023 during the tournament played in the Tri -City Ergo Arena.

Interestingly, looking at the table of all time, the Polish national team took the lead. Poles have two gold medals, one silver and three brown rings. The League of Nations has been played since 2018 and is the younger sister of the former World League. Polish volleyballers won “Światka” once in history, in 2012.

It is worth adding that the Brazilian bronze medals were won by Brazilians. Brazil, which Poland beat in the 3: 0 semi -final, in the Sunday match at the 3rd place. Slovenia in four parts – a revelation of the tournament. Slovenes were able to deal with the quarter -finals with two Olympic champions and defenders of the VNL 2024 title, i.e. the French team. As you can see, a lot happened in the Chinese final Eight.