# Simón still on mission with Cuban volleyball team

**Date:** 04/26/2020

Robertlandy Simón returned to the Cuban national team last year aiming for qualification to the Olympic Games. Although that objective was not achieved, his mission with the team is not yet finished.

The star central blocker had last played for the Cuban national team during the 2010 FIVB World Championship, when the Caribbean team, with outside attackers Wilfredo León and Yoandy Leal on its roster, won a silver medal, their best result in the tournament.

When the 32-year-old veteran decided to return to the team almost a decade later, he found a completely different group of players to work with.

Even though the Cubans failed to secure an Olympic spot in both the intercontinental and Norceca qualifiers in 2019, he enjoyed the experience.

"Returning to the national team was fantastic, although unfortunately we did not secure Olympic qualification, which was the main objective," he said in an interview with Argentine website Somos Voley.

"I was a bit uncertain about how the players would react to my return, since I had never played with any of them and had been away for a while. But it was great, they are all incredible guys and they welcomed me in the best way possible," he added.

Simón, who just finished two successful club seasons with the powerful Italian Cucine Lube Civitanova, and won the Italian Championship, the Italian Cup, the European Champions League, and the 2019 FIVB Men's Club World Championship, sees a bright future for the young Cuban national team.

"There are many interesting players on the national team, they have what it takes to reach the highest level. Playing with them last year and seeing them, it is clear that they have the talent, so it really depends on them," he expressed.

And they will be able to count on Simón, one of the best middle blockers on the planet, at least for a while.

At 32 years old, the central blocker, who recently extended his contract with Lube Civitanova, qualifies his presence at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as uncertain, but wants to help his teammates develop all that he can.

"The team needs more experience and that is what I am trying to share with them," added the veteran.

"Not just experience in matches, but also knowing how you work daily and how you integrate with volleyball at the international level. At this point I cannot say if I will be with the team when Paris 2024 arrives, but I want to help them prepare for it as much as I can," he concluded.