The benches at the Volleyball World Championship in Manila resemble those of Serie A, with ten of the 32 national teams managed by Italian coaches. This is an unmatched figure in team sports around the world, demonstrating not only technical excellence but also genuine cultural dominance. From Emanuele Zanini with Belgium to Roberto Piazza with Iran, Paolo Montagnani with Colombia, Andrea Giani with France, and Marco Bonitta with Egypt, Italian presence extends from the national league to international tournaments. Even Raul Lozano, who is officially of Argentinian descent, built his professional career in our country. In total, 21 of the 32 coaches competing have experience in our league, ranging from famous faces like Karch Kiraly and Bernardinho to those who spent the majority of their careers in Italy, such as Nik Grbic and Boban Kovac. Today Zanini’s Belgium faces Italy, but the influence of Italian coaches is felt in the tournament’s surprises too: Bonitta beat Piazza, and Blengini led Bulgaria to an unexpected victory over Slovenia.