Simone Giannelli
Simone Giannelli is an Italian volleyball player and captain of both the Italy men's national volleyball team and the Italian club Sir Safety Perugia. He is silver medalist of the 2016 Summer Olympics, back-to-back gold medalist of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in 2022 and 2025, gold medalist of the 2021 Men's European Volleyball Championship, silver medalist of the 2015 World Cup and of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations league.
Career
Giannelli had proved himself as an up-and-coming star within volleyball by winning the Finals MVP award in the 2014-15 season with Trentino Volley in the Italian Volleyball League after defeating Modena Volley. He then followed the trend up by taking the starting 7 in the national team, despite competition by players such as Dragan Travica, Michele Baranowicz, and Marco Falaschi.
In his first year in the national team, Giannelli won a silver medal at the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup and a bronze medal at the 2015 Men's European Volleyball Championship, where he was also awarded the prize for best setter, the youngest in the history of the tournament.
Giannelli is the only player to have earned an MVP award at both an FIVB World Championship and an FIVB Club World Championship.
Honours
Clubs
2024 Bogdanka Volley Cup, with Sir Susa Vim Perugia
National championships
2011–12 Italian Championship, with Diatec Trentino2012–13 Italian Championship, with Itas Diatec Trentino2014–15 Italian Championship, with Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino2015–16 Italian Championship, with Diatec Trentino2016–17 Italian Championship, with Diatec Trentino2017–18 Italian Championship, with Diatec Trentino2018–19 Italian Championship, with Diatec Trentino2020–21 Italian Championship, with Diatec Trentino2021–22 Italian Cup, with Sir Safety Perugia2021–22 Italian Championship, with Sir Safety Perugia2022–23 Italian Super Cup, with Sir Safety Perugia2023–24 Italian Super Cup, with Sir Susa Perugia2023–24 Italian Cup, with Sir Susa Perugia2023–24 Italian Championship, with Sir Susa Perugia2024–25 Italian Super Cup, with Sir Susa Perugia2024–25 Italian Championship, with Sir Susa Perugia
National team
2015 CEV European Championship2015 FIVB World Cup2016 Olympic Games2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup2021 CEV European Championship2022 FIVB World Championship2023 Memorial of Hubert Jerzy Wagner2023 CEV European Championship2025 FIVB Nations League2025 FIVB World Championship
Individual
2012 Italian Trofeo Delle Regioni U19 – Most Valuable Player2015 Italian Superlega Serie A1 – Most Valuable Player2015 CEV European Championship – Best Setter2016 CEV Champions League – Best Setter2016 FIVB World League – Best Setter2016 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Setter2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup – Best Setter2018 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Setter2021 European Championship – Most Valuable Player2022 FIVB World Championship – Most Valuable Player2022 FIVB World Championship – Best Setter2022 FIVB Club World Championship – Most Valuable Player2022 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Setter2023 Memorial of Hubert Jerzy Wagner – Most Valuable Player2023 Memorial of Hubert Jerzy Wagner – Best Setter2023 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Setter2024 Italian Superlega Serie A1 – Most Valuable Player2024 Bogdanka Volley Cup – Best Setter2025 CEV Champions League – Best Setter2025 CEV Champions League – Most Valuable Player2025 FIVB Nations League – Best Setter2025 FIVB World Championship – Best Setter2025 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Setter2025 FIVB Club World Championship – Most Valuable Player