Cuban Miguel Ángel López: the Most Valuable Player of the Volleyball World Club Championship

December 16, 2021

Cuban Miguel Ángel López was named the Most Valuable Player of the International Volleyball Federation's World Club Championship, which concluded last Saturday with his team Sada Cruzeiro, from Brazil, winning 3-0 over defending champion Lube Civitanova of Italy.

Before nearly five thousand fans in the city of Betim, the champions of the 2013, 2015 and 2016 editions conquered their fourth title by a sweep of 25-17, 25-22 and 25-23 to avenge the defeat they suffered in the gold medal match two years ago.

With this fourth medal, Sada is only surpassed by another Italian club, Trentino Itas, which has reached the top of the podium on five occasions (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2018) and on this occasion had to settle for bronze after dominating Brazilian team Funvic with three identical scores of 25-18.

In the Sada-Lube match, the player from Cienfuegos López Castro –also one of the outside hitters on the All-Star Team– once again was the inspiring force of his team in the fight for gold by contributing 12 points, ten from attacks and two aces.

The 24-year-old player emotionally stated to the FIVB website that "I have no words to describe our performance tonight, it is a very important day in the history of our club. We were strong from the first to the last point of the tournament and I am very proud of each and every one of us."

"When I arrived here for the first time, I said that I wanted to win as many titles as possible here and this victory is a big part of that," said the Olympic player from Cuba's national team.

"For me, our entire team is the Most Valuable Player. Everyone did their job very well and I am proud of my team. My service did not work well in the opening match and my teammates gave me all the confidence I needed to move forward," he noted.

Small in stature but with exceptional jumping ability, López Castro told a local television station that "Sada Cruzeiro showed firmness, unity and strength. That is what led to the victory, which personally means a big step in my aspirations."

The Caribbean player was the only one to reach double digits, but he had the support of Olympic medalist and three-time club champion with Sada, opposite Wallace de Souza, who contributed nine points, while corner attacker Rodrigo Leao added 8 and middle blockers Henrique Rodrigues and Isac Santos 6 each.

For Lube Civitanova the twenty-year-old Cuban attacker Marlont Yant accumulated 11 units, all from attacks, the same as the Puerto Rican opposite thanks to 9 attacks and two aces. Another Cuban, the giant Robertlandy Simón added 7 in a match in which they were superior in attacks (36-32) and service (6-3), however the Sada Cruzeiro players dominated in blocking (6-1) and committed fewer fouls (19-34).

All-Star Team:

Most Valuable Player: Miguel Ángel López (Sada Cruzeiro)

Best Setter: Fernando 'Cachopa' Kreling (Sada Cruzeiro)

Best Opposite: Wallace de Souza (Sada Cruzeiro)

Best Outside Hitters: Miguel Ángel López (Sada Cruzeiro) and Alessandro Michieletto (Trentino Itas)

Best Middle Blockers: Otavio Pinto (Sada Cruzeiro) and Robertlandy Simón (Cucine Lube Civitanova)

Best Libero: Fabio Balaso (Cucine Lube Civitanova)