Every athlete experiences a moment – or period – that defines their career, and for Mattia Boninfante, the 2024-25 season was exactly that. The Italian volleyball player had an outstanding year, shining both with his club and the national team. His journey reached a new high on Thursday, 24 July as Italy defeated Japan 3-1 in the men’s bronze-medal match at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.
After a bitter semifinal loss to Brazil in five sets on Wednesday, the Italians bounced back to claim third place at the end of another intense battle.
“We feel good. It’s not easy to step onto the court at the beginning, especially for a third-place final, because there’s often still some bitterness from the semifinal,” said the physical education and sport student from Pegaso Telematic University in Napoli.
“But we did well to move forward, to channel the disappointment and frustration we felt after the loss, and that allowed us to play this match. We’re really happy because winning a medal is always a great feeling,” the setter added right after the match.
This wasn’t Boninfante’s first success at an international level. In recent years, he had already earned multiple medals in European and World Cups as part of Italy’s junior squads. However, the 2024-25 campaign marked a turning point in his career: his first-ever call-up to the senior national team. The 21-year-old made his debut during the first week of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Canada in June.
“I have to say it’s an amazing feeling. These were my very first matches with the senior national team, so I’m definitely very happy. It’s the dream you always have when you start playing volleyball.”
Reflecting on the differences between the FISU Games and senior competitions, Boninfante added, “Maybe, on average, since there’s no age limit in the senior national team, the level is more balanced. Here, with some teams, you can feel there’s a gap at first, but especially as you move on to the semifinals and final, the games get much tougher, and winning requires real effort.
“But matches like these help us get used to playing at this level, in tight matches, where a single point can decide the outcome of the game, as we saw in the first sets today and in the semifinal. That’s why you need to stay fully focused from start to finish.”
Awards, achievements and ambitions
But this year wasn’t just about international success for the student-athlete. Just a few days before the FISU Games kicked off, Boninfante was named Best Italian U23 Player, a prestigious individual recognition that added to an already exceptional season with his club, Cucine Lube Civitanova, which won the Italian Cup and finished as runners-up in the Serie A Championship.
“I feel absolutely great and I take a lot with me from these experiences. First of all, I now have a better sense of what it means to play so many matches in a single year (…), so if my goal is to play volleyball for many years, I need to get used to this kind of workload. Also, gaining experience by playing high-level matches really helps me be even more prepared in the future,” he said.
And when it comes to the future, Boninfante is clear about his mindset and goals.
“The goal is to keep improving, there’s always something to learn. It’s about identifying what you’re not doing well and working on it to keep getting better.”
Poland dominated Brazil in straight sets later on Thursday to capture the FISU Games men’s volleyball gold medal.
The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games take place from 16-27 July. Watch all the competitions live on fisu.tv. Click on the link to find the full schedule.
Written by Valentina Rasini, EU U-Media Ambassador, Italy
The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.
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