(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Aleks Nikolov Dominates Volleyball World Championship Stats, 67 Points Clear as Top Scorer
The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines has officially wrapped up, and while Italy took home the gold, Bulgaria’s Aleks Nikolov stole the show in the individual rankings. The 21-year-old outside hitter not only topped the scoring charts but also led the best attackers list, finishing with a jaw-dropping 173 points — a massive 67 points ahead of his nearest rivals.
Aleks Nikolov – Best Scorer & Best Attacker
With 173 total points, Nikolov finished comfortably ahead of Belgium’s Ferre Reggers and Czech Republic’s Patrik Indra (both at 106). His standout performance came in the semifinal clash against Czechia, where he delivered an incredible 31 points.
Nikolov also led the best attackers ranking with 154 spike kills, leaving Reggers and Indra far behind at 93 each. His consistent brilliance earned him a place in the World Championship Dream Team.
Moni Nikolov – Best Setter
The Nikolov family success story didn’t end there. Aleks’s 18-year-old brother Moni Nikolov topped the best setters chart with 236 successful sets. He edged past Iran’s Arshia Behnezhad (222) and Italy’s world champion setter Simone Giannelli (200).
Aleks Grozdanov – Best Blocker
Bulgaria’s captain Aleks Grozdanov dominated at the net, finishing as the best blocker with 18 kill blocks. Italy’s Roberto Russo (16) and Slovenia’s Jan Kozamernik (15) completed the top three.
Other Standout Performers
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Best Server: USA’s Gabriel Garcia led the serving chart with 17 aces. Italy’s Yuri Romano finished close behind with 15, five of which came in the gold medal match.
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Best Digger: Belgium’s Gorik Lantsoght topped the digging stats with 43, just ahead of Turkey’s Berkay Bayraktar and Czechia’s Milan Monik (42 each).
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Best Receiver: Italy’s Mattia Bottolo led the receiving stats with 40 successful receptions, ahead of Czechia’s Lukas Vasina (38) and Finland’s Luka Marttila (37).
Bulgaria’s Historic Impact
Despite finishing with the silver medal, Bulgaria’s players dominated four out of seven statistical categories, highlighting the team’s remarkable rise on the global stage. The Nikolov brothers and Grozdanov’s leadership have cemented Bulgaria as one of the most exciting teams to watch in world volleyball.
