The national volleyball team returns home with the trophy at Nội Bài International Airport. — Photo courtesy of VFV

Thanh Nga

Just two months into his tenure, Italian coach Federico Rampazzo has given Việt Nam’s men’s national volleyball team something it had been chasing for years: its first SEA V.Cup title.

On July 26 in Jakarta, Việt Nam beat Thailand 3-2 in the SEA V.Cup final to win the tournament for the first time. The result also secured a place for the Vietnamese team at the 2027 AVC Cup.

It was a significant breakthrough for Vietnamese men’s volleyball. Earlier, the team’s best SEA V.Cup results were second-place finishes in 2023 and 2025. Thailand and Indonesia had dominated the competition, with three titles each.

The road to the trophy was not easy. Việt Nam beat Indonesia in the semi-finals, ending an 11-year wait for a victory over their regional rivals. In the final, they recovered from losing the first set to defeat Thailand in five sets.

For Rampazzo, however, the title is only part of the story.

Coach Federico Rampazzo and his players celebrate their title at the SEA V.Cup. — Photo courtesy of VFV

Since taking over, the 52-year-old coach has not attempted a major overhaul of the squad or playing system. Instead, he has focused on improving the way the players work together, respond to mistakes and deal with pressure.

“We have made some improvements, especially in blocking. We have improved the co-ordination between blocking and defence,” Rampazzo said. “Before, the players often played rather separately, with each one trying to deal with situations on their own. Now, what we are building is about playing together as a team.”

The coach has also adjusted physical training to help players maintain their form during two weeks of continuous competition. But he believes the biggest change has not been physical.

“The biggest change is in the psychological aspect,” he said. “One of the things that has changed clearly is that we always try to keep a positive attitude towards what happens. If we make a mistake, before I saw that the players found it very difficult to accept it. But focusing on mistakes instead of looking forward is one of the biggest reasons for failure.”

Italian coach Federico Rampazzo of the Việt Nam men’s national volleyball team. — Photo courtesy of VFV

For the Italian coach, mistakes are part of the learning process. “To win, the best way is to accept mistakes as part of the process of growing and learning,” he said.

That approach was visible during the SEA V.Cup. Rampazzo was constantly communicating with his players from the sideline, taking notes and using timeouts when opponents began to build momentum.

Beyond one title

The SEA V.Cup victory has raised expectations for the 2027 SEA Games in Malaysia, where Việt Nam will target the men’s volleyball gold medal.

Rampazzo, however, is already looking beyond the next tournament.

“I believe our opponents will continue to improve. Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines at the SEA Games next year will be much stronger than what we are seeing now,” he said.

That is why he does not want Việt Nam to become satisfied with its latest success.

“We cannot be satisfied with what we are showing now. We have to aim for significant improvement, not just small steps forward,” he said. “The goal is to maximise our chances of winning the SEA Games gold medal, because that is our destination.”

For Rampazzo, that ambition requires more than a strong national team. A wider system must be built around it.

“We need to build a system. And perhaps I also need more support in that process,” he said. “We have to develop coaches, develop the volleyball environment in Việt Nam and at every level. Support from the authorities, sponsors and, especially, clubs is also very important.”

He believes the development of young players must go together with the development of coaches and the wider volleyball community.

“First, we need to make an effort to become better people. Then we can work towards becoming better coaches,” he said. “At the same time, we should always respect and support the development of the coaches and athletes around us.”

Rampazzo points to his own coaching staff as an example.

“I am really proud of my assistants. Before, when a player made a mistake, they often felt very bad about it. Now they have a different way of looking at things,” he said.

“They say: ‘OK, we made a mistake. There is no need to blame anyone. Let’s stay positive, find a solution and learn from it.’”

For him, a defeat can also be useful. “If you lose a match, it means the opponent has found a weakness in your game. So you have to work on it and improve it,” he explained.

Opposite hitter Nguyễn Ngọc Thuân (left) celebrates with coach Federico Rampazzo after Việt Nam beat Indonesia 3-1 in the semi-finals of the second leg of the 2026 SEA V.Cup. — Photo courtesy of VFV

A different path

Rampazzo’s own route into professional volleyball was not straightforward.

Born in Padua, Italy in 1974, he graduated in applied biomedical electronic engineering from the University of Padua. He did not begin his career as a professional volleyball player, but became involved in coaching youth, amateur and semi-professional teams in Italy.

He turned to professional coaching in 2004 and holds a Level 4 coaching qualification in Italy. His coaching career has taken him to Russia and Chinese Taipei.

In the 2008-09 season, he worked as an assistant coach at Esse-ti Carilo Loreto in Italy’s Serie A2. The team won the competition and earned promotion.

Rampazzo is the first Italian volleyball specialist to serve as head coach of a Vietnamese national volleyball team.

Before officially taking the job, he came to Việt Nam to watch the first round of the 2026 National Club Volleyball Championship in Đông Anh, Hà Nội. He took notes and used the tournament to assess potential national-team players.

Once he took charge, understanding his players became one of his priorities. He wanted to know their personalities, their playing habits and how they responded to pressure.

His style is approachable. He smiles often, talks with players and is willing to exchange ideas about volleyball. But his expectations are high.

The 19 players who trained with him for the SEA V.Cup have responded to that approach, particularly in the way they handled pressure and stayed together during difficult moments.

“For me, the most important thing is the spirit of the players on court. They must never lose that spirit,” Rampazzo said. “Volleyball also requires communication between teammates, so all the players must always be united as one.”

The message has been simple: stay together, accept mistakes and keep moving forward.

The SEA V.Cup title is the first major reward. Rampazzo’s contract runs until the end of 2026, with any extension to be considered for the following year.

For Vietnamese men’s volleyball, the bigger question is what comes next.

Rampazzo has already shown that a change in mindset can produce results in a short time. Now he wants to turn that first title into the beginning of a stronger national team and a better foundation for the sport as a whole. — VNS