Foreign star players land
Phase 2 of the 2025 National Volleyball Championship witnessed a wave of high-quality foreign players arriving in Vietnam. Both the men's and women's teams have invested heavily to increase squad strength as well as create a boost in expertise.
Notably, the Ho Chi Minh City Police team will continue to have the service of Michal Kubiak - former captain of the Polish national team, world champion in 2014 and 2018.
Not only is Kubiak a world-class face, he is also an inspirational symbol, contributing to raising the level of playing style and competitive spirit for the whole team. After his outstanding performance in round 1, he continues to be expected to be the main factor in the championship race.
Meanwhile, The Cong Tan Cang added opposite setter Rivan Nurmulki from Indonesia. He is a prominent face with his versatile attacking ability. The presence of Rivan promises to help the army team become a strong opponent in the second phase.
In addition, Lavie Tay Ninh welcomed Anurak Phanram - a rising star of Thai volleyball, who won the MVP at the AVC Challenge Cup 2023. Anurak is expected to help the Western team improve their position and be more solid in the relegation race.
Not only in the men's group, the women's teams also have valuable additions. Geleximco Hung Yen attracted attention when recruiting Helena Grozer - the younger sister of legend Georg Grozer.
Helena has played for many leading European clubs, possessing comprehensive skills and extensive experience. Therefore, the coaching staff hopes that she will promote her abilities, helping the team rise in the upcoming competition.
The Information Corps brought in the Russian striker -voronkova Irina. With a height of 1m88, diverse finishing ability and good defense, Irina is one of the most comprehensive foreign players in the women's event. She will be a formidable spearhead in the journey to defend the title of the military representative.
In addition, many other notable foreign players also appeared in the second phase of the national championship such as Veronica Perr (VTV Binh Dien Long An); Miroslava Paskova (LPB Ninh Binh); Kuttika Kaewpin and Tichaya Boonlert (Duc Giang Chemicals); Leah hardeman ( Xi Long Son Thanh Hoa Cement) or Anna Belianskaia (Vietinbank)...
serious training, tactical refinement
In parallel with the addition of forces, the teams also promote training and coordination to perfect the playing style before entering the important stage of the season.
Accordingly, VTV Binh Dien Long An went to Thailand to participate in the 2025 SEALECT Cup friendly tournament and won 5th place overall. International matches not only help the team test the squad but are also an opportunity for athletes to warm up their performance after the break between two stages.
The Information Corps has a 10-day training trip in Shanghai, China. Coach Pham Van Long and his team had the opportunity to play friendly matches with strong opponents such as Shanghai and Jiangsu. This is considered a careful preparation for the upcoming championship race, especially when they have quality foreign players likevoronkova.
Meanwhile, Duc Giang Chemicals had planned to participate in the KOVO Cup 2025 in Korea. However, the plan cannot be implemented due to FIVB regulations on competition time. However, this team still maintains a high-intensity training schedule at the headquarters, and has internal friendly matches to keep the team competitive.
The remaining teams such as Ho Chi Minh City Police, LPB Ninh Binh, Geleximco Hung Yen, Vietinbank, Sanest Khanh Hoa... have also gathered early, reviewed their squads, worked on tactics and were ready for the tournament. All maintained good physical condition, enthusiasm and set high goals for phase 2.
Phase 2 of the 2025 National Volleyball Championship will officially start from October 7 at Ninh Binh Provincial Gymnasium.
