Poland's Leon finds neighbors' note after Nations League gold, team begins EuroVolley prep

Nations League triumph

Poland's national volleyball team cemented their place among the world's volleyball elite by winning the Volleyball Nations League on Sunday, August 2, defeating the United States 3:2 in a final in Ningbo, China, that went to a tie-break. The victory marks Poland's third title in the competition and their second consecutive triumph. The Americans, bronze medalists at the Paris Olympics, pushed the match to five sets before the "White and Reds" prevailed in a contest described as tight, with both teams fighting for victory until the very end. Wilfredo Leon, the 33-year-old receiver who plays club volleyball for Bogdanka LUK in Lublin, was among the standout Polish players throughout the tournament and made a significant contribution to the final success. A Polish player was also named MVP of the 2026 Nations League, though the individual was not identified in the available reports.

Return home and a neighbor's note

Travel complications departing from Ningbo meant the squad did not reach Poland until Wednesday, August 5. Coach Nikola Grbić gave the players six days off, the only extended rest period before the team reconvened in Zakopane. Leon spent part of his break pursuing his passion for fishing, sharing photos on social media of his catches by the water. Upon returning to his home in Lublin, where he lives during the league season, Leon found a handwritten note left hanging on the door of the apartment he shares with his family.

The message from his neighbors congratulated Leon on the Nations League gold medal, expressed admiration for his "talent, hard work and great commitment," and said it was "a great joy" to have such an athlete as their neighbor, wishing him luck in upcoming matches. The 33-year-old, described by Polish media as a star of the national team, shared the note with his followers on Instagram.

Such a note was waiting for me in Lublin. Thank you very much to the neighbors.

Training camp in Zakopane

The players' rest was brief. On August 10, the squad began gathering in Zakopane, the mountain resort town beneath the Tatra Mountains' Giewont peak, to start their training camp under Grbić. The camp is the team's final preparation block before departing for the continental tournament.

After six days off, now it's time for the first training in Zakopane.

The 34th edition of the European Championships begins on September 9 in Naples and concludes on September 26 in Milan. The tournament is hosted across four countries: Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania. Poland will play their first Group B match on September 10 against Portugal in Sofia. Their remaining group-stage opponents are North Macedonia, Israel, Ukraine, and Bulgaria, with Bulgaria closing out the group phase.

Defending champions

Poland enter the tournament as defending European champions. In the 2023 final, they defeated Italy 3:0 in a display of dominance. The upcoming title defense will be the squad's primary focus during the Zakopane camp. Coverage of the team's preparations and tournament matches will be available on Polsat television, the Polsat Box Go streaming platform, and the Interia website.