Paris 2024: USA, Japan, Germany and Argentina fight for survival in Pool C

The biggest moment of the season is just around the corner for the 12 men’s national teams qualified for the Paris 2024 Games as the Olympic tournament is set to begin at the South Paris Arena 1 on Saturday.

Pool play will be the first phase of the tournament, with eight of the 12 teams entered moving forward to the elimination rounds. Three pools were formed ahead of the start of the event and, at the conclusion of the pool phase, all three pool winners and runners-up will advance to the quarterfinals, as well as the two best-ranked third-placed sides.

Pool C is absolutely unpredictable as each of the four teams had moments of success over the last few years, with Argentina winning bronze at Tokyo 2020, USA and Germany shining at the Volleyball Olympic Qualifier in 2023 and Japan appearing in the Volleyball Nations League gold medal match in 2024.

Here’s what’s important to know about the four contenders in Pool C:

Japan

Currently in second place in the FIVB World Rankings, Japan will be able to test their excellent form at the Olympics, where they will try to return to the podium for the first time since Munich 1972. Their recent results indicate that the Japanese are up for the task as they won medals in back-to-back editions of the VNL (bronze in 2023 and silver in 2024), took gold at the 2023 Asian Championship and finished 12^th in the 2022 FIVB World Championship.

Captain Yuki Ishikawa is one of the top players in the world right now and a pillar in the team coached by Philippe Blain, alongside fellow outside hitter Ran Takahashi and opposite Yuji Nishida. Setter Masahiro Sekita, middle blocker Taishi Onodera and libero Tomohiro Yamamoto have also proven themselves among the elite of the sport.

USA

The sixth-best team in the World Rankings, the USA head to Paris determined to recover from a frustrating tenth-place finish in Tokyo three years ago. The Americans had good moments at major international events over the last few years, taking consecutive silvers at the VNL in 2022 and 2023 and finishing sixth at the 2022 World Championship, but their only title in the period came at the 2023 NORCECA Championship.

Head coach John Speraw will lead one of the most experienced squads of the Games, with nine Olympians selected, including seven players who helped the team win bronze at Rio 2016 – setter Micah Christenson, opposite Matt Anderson, outside hitters Thomas Jaeschke and Aaron Russell, middle blockers David Smith and Max Holt and libero Erik Shoji.

Paris 2024 – Match Schedule

Germany

Back at the Olympics after missing out on the last two editions, Germany arrive in Paris in 11^th place in the World Rankings. The spectacular campaign at the Volleyball Olympic Qualifier was the highlight of the team in the last few years – they also finished 15^th at the 2022 World Championship and had a ninth-place finish at the 2023 European Championship.

One of the two players with Olympic experience in the German roster alongside setter Lukas Kampa, 39-year-old opposite György Grozer is a central piece in the team coached by Michal Winiarski. Middle blockers Anton Brehme and Tobias Krick and outside hitter Moritz Reichert are other important players on the roster.

Argentina

Argentina head to Paris still encouraged by the bronze medal they won in Tokyo three years ago, which matched their best result in the Games. Ranked eighth in the world, the Argentineans finished in the top ten in the 2022 World Championship (eighth) and in the last three editions of the VNL (ninth in 2022, fifth in 2023 and eighth in 2024), but perhaps their most important result in the last few years was their victory against Brazil in the 2023 South American Championship that ended their rivals’ dominance in the continent after 56 years.

Head coach Marcelo Mendez decided to bring seven Tokyo medalists for the Paris squad in setters Luciano De Cecco, who will be the country’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony, and Matías Sanchez, opposite Bruno Lima, outside hitter Facundo Conte, middle blockers Agustín Loser and Martín Ramos and libero Santiago Danani – outside hitter Ezequiel Palacios was selected as the team’s reserve.

Men’s Pool C Match Schedule

July 27
9:00 local time (7:00 GMT) – Japan vs. Germany
21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) – USA vs. Argentina

July 30
13:00 local time (11:00 GMT) – USA vs. Germany

July 31
13:00 local time (11:00 GMT) – Japan vs. Argentina

August 2
9:00 local time (7:00 GMT) – Argentina vs. Germany
21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) – Japan vs. USA

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