site.btaPresident Awards Honorary Plaques to National Volleyball Team Players, Staff

Head of State Rumen Radev awarded honorary plaques to the Bulgarian men's volleyball team players, coaching staff, and Bulgarian Volleyball Federation members on Wednesday. "You gave those who had lost faith in our abilities hope for the future," said the President.

For several days now, Bulgaria has been in the grip of euphoria, he noted. "We all experienced your victorious journey to the top of the volleyball world. What's more, you brought us a great, unifying emotion that reminded us of the glorious American summer of 1994 [when the football national team finish fourth at the World Cup]," he said. 

"I will not address you as 'boys'. You were boys when you came here two years ago after winning bronze [at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship] in Qatar. Today, in the Hall of Coats of Arms, I welcome worthy Bulgarian men who have taken on the responsibility of defending the honor of their homeland. Two years ago, I told you that you were a ray of hope for Bulgarian sport. Today, I can say that you are the ray of hope that the whole of Bulgaria needed. What you have achieved is much more than a sporting triumph," Radev told the volleyball players.

"Your success is tremendous, but you already feel that with success comes enormous responsibility. Not so much related to our expectations for future titles, but to the fact that the eyes of thousands of Bulgarian children are fixed on you. They want to grow up like you, to be worthy like you. I believe that you will not betray their dreams," said the President.

"When we returned to Bulgaria, the incredible welcome we received yesterday made me think that the fans, children, mothers, fathers, and elderly people gave us much more than we gave them. The fact that our players have become role models for Bulgarian children and have managed to unite the Bulgarian people is something extraordinary and we will remember it for the rest of our lives," said head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini.

"We are proud to carry the flag and I am sure that we will continue to work the same way," said team captain Aleks Grozdanov. 

"We are very proud to be here in front of you, that we managed to unite the whole of Bulgaria, to bring people out into the squares and streets. To give everyone the opportunity to see the successes we have achieved. We achieved them for you, for Bulgaria. I assure you that we will continue to do so," said Bulgarian Volleyball Federation President Lyubomir Ganev.