Historic Feat: Japan Men's Volleyball Sweeps VNL Preliminaries with Undefeated 12-0 Record
On July 19, 2026, the Japanese men's national volleyball team achieved a historic milestone in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary round. In their final match of the Osaka round, Japan swept Argentina in straight sets, securing an undefeated 12-0 record. This marks the first time in the tournament's history that any country has advanced to the final round with a perfect preliminary record, claiming the top spot. In their final preliminary clash against Argentina, Japan put on a dominant display to secure a straight-sets victory. With this win, they achieved a perfect 12-0 run—a feat never before accomplished in the history of the tournament. Following the match, star player Ran Takahashi summed up the mood with his signature shout of "Saiko de-su!" (It's the best!), capturing the excitement of fans across the country. The historic achievement quickly took over social media, with "Undefeated in Preliminaries" trending on X (formerly Twitter). ...