Italy’s volleyball players have crowned themselves for the first time in 24 years, denying Poland a title hat-trick.
The European champions beat the hosts 3-1 (22:25, 25:21, 25:18, 25:20) in the final in Katowice, Poland on Sunday and celebrated their fourth world title after 1990, 1994 and 1998.
Poland had won the last two World Cups.
Germany was eliminated in the round of 16 against co-hosts and European runners-up Slovenia, who missed out on the bronze medal in a 3-1 loss to Brazil on Sunday.
The selection of the German Volleyball Association (DVV) had participated in a World Cup for the first time since third place in 2014.