Mo’menimoqaddam grateful after Iran beats odds to retain world title
Iran head coach Gholamreza Mo’menimoqaddam said he was grateful to see his team retain the crown at the FIVB Volleyball U21 World Championship in Jiangmen, China, despite significant adversity they faced prior to the event.
In rematch of the 2023 final, Iran came from behind to defeat Italy 3-1 (15-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-14) on Sunday and secure the third world under-21 trophy for the country in four editions.
“No one in the country really expected this team to succeed at the World Championship, but thank God this group of players fought relentlessly to win the title for the third time,” Iranian head coach told Mehr News Agency.
“Defending a title is much harder than winning it in the first place, and I’m truly grateful we accomplished it. We had an entirely new generation of players, yet we were still able to repeat our success as we felt a duty to deliver our best performance in the competition.”
Iranian team’s preparations for the competition were severely disrupted by the country’s 12-day conflict with Israel in June, but Mo’menimoqaddam was delighted to see the team’s hard work pay off despite the difficult circumstances.
“Our players had to train without proper sleep or rest through the missile attacks in Tehran. However, all these hardships were compensated by the players’ joy and satisfaction at the end of the championship.
“The team entered the tournament without any proper friendly matches and faced formidable opponents in Italy, Poland, the United States, and Argentina. We had to leave for China 10 days before the tournament got underway. We still managed to beat France and Brazil in a couple of warmup games in Jiangmen, which truly boosted the players’ confidence for the competition.”
Sunday’s triumph extended Iran’s winning streak in this age group to a remarkable 29 games over four years under Mo’menimoqaddam – during which the country also claimed successive Asian under-20 titles either side of the world U21 trophy in Manama.
“It was a true blessing for me and my coaching that this team rounded off a 1,110-day unbeaten run with this trophy. Honestly speaking, I never once thought about the record; our main focus was always on our performance and getting results. This victory is not limited to my efforts alone; all my colleagues worked hard over these four years to make this honor a reality for our country’s volleyball.”
“We remained undefeated throughout all official tournaments and even the friendly matches, both in Iran and abroad. The current squad has undergone some changes over this period, but through hard work and precise planning, it has continued the path of success. This demonstrates the immense power and talent within Iranian volleyball.”
“We succeeded in integrating a new generation of players into the national team framework. Approximately 50 percent of the team was changed. Players like Pouya Ariakhah, Shayan Meharabi, Ariyan Mahmoudinejad, Ali Mombeini, and Emad Kakaavand, who previously had no previous international experience, with the youth team, made the roster and delivered an extraordinary performance. This just demonstrates how the talent development process in Iranian volleyball has been highly effective.”
Beyond the under-21 glory, Mo’menimoqaddam believes his players have much more to offer in the national team, once they make their senior international breakthrough in the coming years.
“Our main task now is to ensure these young players continue their path to the senior national team It is up to the federation and the Sports Ministry to preserve this golden generation.
“These players are mature enough to play at the senior level. Any player who has competed in a World Championship and faced top-tier teams has gained sufficient experience, though it is crucial for them to make good choices for their future. The federation must also support these players so they can play for decent clubs, get called up to national training camps, and remain integrated into the national team selection process.”