Côte d'Azur's Benjamin Diez retained, Var's Timothée Carle reserve, discover the final list of the French team for the World Volleyball Championships

Here we are. Les Bleus have definitively ended their preparations for the World Cup in the Philippines, which begins this Friday. After a training camp in Cannes punctuated by two victories against Serbia (3-1) in a packed Palais des Victoires, then 4-0 (bonus set) behind closed doors at the end of August, Les Bleus have been in Japan, on the island of Okinawa, since September 1st for final preparations.

French Riviera's Kevin Tillie and Joris Seddik did not survive the first squad cut, which had been reduced to 15 players in Japan. It was reduced to 14 today, with a medical reserve who will only be able to play in the event of a teammate's injury. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the teammates of Earvin Ngapeth, long doubtful but ultimately retained, faced Brazil for a final friendly test (4-1 victory).

Varois Timothée Carle, reservist

Following this friendly match, the French national team coach made his decision. Timothée Carle, a Toulon native and former AS Cannes player, will be the reserve player, a role he has already played for the 2024 Olympics. Côte d'Azur libero Benjamin Diez, born in Nice and also a former Cannes player, has been retained alongside the world's best in the position, Jenia Grebenennikov.

Les Bleus will begin their World Championships - the only title missing from their list of achievements - against South Korea this Sunday, September 14, at noon French time, before moving on to Finland (on the 16th at 12 p.m.), then Argentina (on the 18th at 12 p.m.), their other opponents in Group C.

The list of 14:

Guides: Benjamin Toniutti (Jastrzebski Wegiel/Poland), Antoine Brizard (Osaka Buleton/Japan)

Liberos: Jenia Grebennikov (Zenit Saint Petersburg/Russia), Benjamin Diez (Padua/Italy)

Receivers/Forwards: Trévor Clevenot (Ziraat Bankkart Ankara/Türkiye), Yacine Louati (Rzeszow/Poland), Mathis Henno (Gorzow/Poland), Earvin Ngapeth (Fenerbahçe/Türkiye)

Pointus: Théo Faure (Trentino Volley/Italy), Jean Patry (Galatasaray/Türkiye)

Centers: Nicolas Le Goff (Montpellier), François Huetz (Paris Volley), Barthélémy Chinenyeze (Fenerbahçe/Türkiye), Quentin Jouffroy (Montpellier)

Reserve: Timothée Carle (Wolfdogs Nagoya/Japan)