France vs Argentina | The Most Dramatic & Emotional Volleyball Match of 2025 !!!

Nice pass, Luati, to Brizard, and Teo 4. Miles again on the French side of the net. Where's he up to now? Teo 4. I also love the way Luati's been handling the first ball since stepping in, right? Ngapeth was the target there, now it's become him, and he's just been steady. Lovely. Talk about player of the match. This has got to be his best performance ever for Argentina. I can't remember a more brilliant all-round. Everything he's touched has worked. Just been quite magnificent. But he wants this to be a winning performance by the team. And Luati has just nailed that. Two sets all, seven all. The overload on the French side. Blockers playing catch-up. Luati always had the advantage there. Pacheco comes away off the net, but Kukartsev is ready. I got it, chief. Yeah, that change, bringing him back in, an important one for Argentina. He's getting past the block. Oh, oh, oh. Huge block for Kukartsev. And it's on 4, who's been efficient. Tries to go down the line, Kukartsev is flying in that direction, and it pays off. Great point here, would be huge. And that's what France needs. Brizard has a look, sends it to Teofar, doesn't put it where he wants it. Pacheco's on the ground. Brizard is desperate to keep this in play. Teofar, he's got three blockers in front of him, he's not cutting through. Pacheco will send it through, and Lozere and Argentina crack on 10-7. And France are now in trouble. This is the break point of the match, that pick-up by Pacheco. And it converts to a point for Argentina, because Pacheco has the confidence to find Lozere in all the confusion. Matisse and O, just 20 years old. They need some big points, and here he comes. And that's not going to work, Gorenikov's kept it in play for now. O will go once more. Oh, and he's managed to scramble one through the net. Are you kidding me, Gorenikov? Sticking out a foot, a heel. Desperately need a service run here, France. That's a great serve, but brilliantly worked. Oh, was he reaching over? Quicks. He said no, goes for the tip. Presence of mind. How cool was that? No wonder he can smile. You've got to smile after a play like that. I can't stop smiling either. The net play, I mean that's a legal play because it's a block. The attack was coming over. Look at the slice, the finest. Cool serve, but it's all put away. Dicecco will look again, goes local. And it's Pawlowski. No emotion at all. And there's no need for emotion if you're someone like Dicecco. Pawlowski also knows. Big moment. Such a serious face, but he's done his country proud. Quite brilliant, along with Vycentin. Two outside hitters. To your far. Again, it's not going through. Is there a net touch? There is a net touch. Vycentin got too close. As Lozor actually with the elbow. Got blocked badly. Sometimes as a middle blocker, you just get a little eager on it to push your arms over. Just hanging on. They need to draw level. And that is not going to help their cause. He's served his country, but he couldn't get it over the net. And he'll go back and fret on those sidelines. As Lozor takes a big, deep breath. Klepno sends that high. Tognuti's waiting underneath it. Klepno then rattles it through. Perfect pass. Tognuti didn't even have to take a single step. And look at Klepno. He's gone in to get it. He then rounds out and gives himself the space to take a big approach. That's what you have to have as an outside hitter. That court awareness to give yourself enough space to come in. Nicely from Polonsky. And then he comes again. And that could be the knockout blow for Theo Fall. That's really straight in the face. And Polonsky straight through to check he's alright. That ball was probably going out if it hadn't hit the face. It was so high above the shoulders and far as in the backcourt. They'll take this as an opportunity to take some time. Maybe not an actual timeout as France have already used up both of them. Now the question is, do we have a challenge coming? Was it within the timing, first of all? The referee is saying yes. Foot fault is the challenge. Nope. He's good. Got to go all over the line. Your whole foot has to go over. But you just had a feeling that the momentum right now is on Argentina's side. France wants to slow it down however they can. Substitution again on the Argentina side. Coming on. Looking to impose himself. Brizard ready to move. For Luati. Brizard takes a look. And here's Luati. But there's no way through. It's a massive block. Deva and Argentina have three match points. France, the double Olympic champions, have to get a timeout. Otherwise they are out. Kukacev. No. And he's got a point. One match point saved. But Argentina with a cool head. No. They've got two match points still. And this is all on Trevor Klevno. This has to be in play. He's got to make sure it's in. So here's a chance. Kudrennikov. Brizard will feed to four. Kukacev was going nowhere. Nor was the ball. And it's sent down the line. And Vicentin has ensured that Argentina have held their nerve. They will be going through to the knockout stages. And France and their world championship dream has been shattered. They are going home. There is no fairy tale for Tognuti, for Engapet, for Lagoff, for Grbennikov. They have been beaten in five. 15-12. What a performance by Argentina. Two sets up. Then wobbling. But then rediscovering their mojo. Finding a way to take down the double Olympic champions. It's another shock in Manila. And this is how it unfolded. Kukacev. Big chest. And then, how appropriate, Vicentin, top scorer in the match. He's been quite magnificent. 23 points. Top scorer. And they will go through, along with Finland, as the top two in Pool C. For Brizard and for France. Argentina to drink it in. Let's go down now to get French reaction. Andrei Gianni is with Guy Michael. Coach, I know this is not how you wanted to end your world champs. What did you learn about your team here? No, I am proud. These matches were so tough. We recovered. And I can't feel nothing. Because if my player re-entering the match, a difficult match. This is the volleyball. We need to arch it. Argentina played well. The Spikers played very well. But in the end, these matches, every set, closer, closer, closer. We are right in the tie-break. We have a little bit of a chance. But we arch it. And I am happy with my player. I am only disappointed for the injury with Chevenier. Well, you are still the double Olympic champion. What are you going to tell your players in the locker room today? It's not easy. Because for some players, this is the last match for the current international team. And in this moment, for me, it's a private moment with our team. Private. Thank you, coach. Very gracious. Very honest. One of the great names. One of the great players. And here, this is the measure of the man. He's now got under the net. And he's going to thank the team. Look at this. He knows so many of these players from his time in Italy. What a moment this is. This is true sporting spirit. This is why he is such a top man. Unless, I think, he's having an argument, maybe. I don't know. For now, I can see Engelbert leaves.