Belgium vs Iran

Belgium started sharp and purposeful. Outside hitters Sam Deroo and Seppe Rotty found early gaps in the Iranian block, while opposite Ferre Reggers delivered from the right side. A tight first set tilted Belgium's way 25–23 after a crucial serving run from Pierre Perin. The Red Dragons carried that momentum into the second, taking it 25–22 behind strong work from the serving line and solid covering defence from libero Gorik Lantsoght.

With their backs to the wall at 2–0 down, Iran found their rhythm. Opposite Ali Hajipour began to impose himself, pounding through the Belgian block, and Iranian captain Saber Kazemi provided stability in reception. The third set was a back-and-forth affair until Iran pulled away late to win 25–23. Emboldened, they dominated the fourth set 25–17, with middle blocker Yousef Kazemi Poshtpari and setter Javad Karimi orchestrating a run that forced a decider.

In the fifth, Belgium regrouped. A pair of timely blocks from Pieter Coolman and a ferocious spike from Reggers gave the Red Dragons an early 6–3 lead. Iran clawed back to 12–12, but Belgium refused to fold. Reggers delivered a kill through the block, Perin blocked an Iranian attack, and a final Iranian service error sealed the 15–12 set and the match.

For Belgium, this marked a watershed moment. The Red Dragons qualified for the VNL for the first time in 2026 after replacing relegated Netherlands as the highest-ranked team not yet in the competition. Under Italian head coach Emanuele Zanini, Belgium arrived in Brasília as underdogs — and proceeded to make an immediate statement.

They began Week 1 by stunning World Championship runners-up Bulgaria 3–1 in their historic VNL debut, led by Perin's 16 points. After competitive losses to hosts Brazil (3–1) and a strong Serbia side (3–1), Sunday's win over Iran gave Belgium a 2–2 record in Pool 2 — an impressive return for a debutant squad.

Zanini praised his side's resilience after the match: "The team showed great character, excellent serving and strong defence and to finish the week with two wins in our first VNL experience is a fantastic achievement."

Iran came into the match on the back of their first win of the tournament — a dominant 3–0 sweep of Argentina on Saturday. However, consistency has been their challenge in Brasília. After dropping their opener 3–1 to Brazil and being swept 3–0 by Bulgaria, the win over Argentina showed what this squad is capable of when in rhythm.

Head coach Vladimir Alekno has been rotating his squad heavily, and the team showed flashes of brilliance against Belgium — particularly from Hajipour and Kazemi — but the slow start in the first two sets ultimately proved costly. Iran finished Week 1 with a 1–3 record and plenty to build on heading into Week 2 in Gliwice.

Ferre Reggers (Belgium) — The Belgian opposite was the team's most reliable attacking outlet throughout the week and came up big when it mattered most in the fifth set. His combination of power and placement troubled the Iranian block all afternoon.

Pierre Perin (Belgium) — Fresh off a 16-point debut against Bulgaria, Perin continued his strong tournament with clutch serving and aggressive attacking. The young outside hitter has been one of the revelations of Week 1.

Gorik Lantsoght (Belgium) — The libero's defensive reading kept multiple Iranian attacks alive and gave Belgium the platform to transition into offence. His passing was rock solid under pressure.

Ali Hajipour (Iran) — The Iranian opposite carried much of the offensive load, particularly in Iran's two-set rally, and finished as his team's leading scorer.

Saber Kazemi (Iran) — The veteran opposite provided leadership and steady contributions in both attack and reception as Iran fought back from 2–0 down.

Belgium now head to Gliwice, Poland, for Week 2 (24–28 June), where they will face China, hosts Poland, Germany and Türkiye. With two wins already banked, the Red Dragons can approach the second week with growing confidence.

Iran will also travel to Gliwice, where they will take on France, USA, Japan and Cuba. After showing their ability to compete in patches, Alekno will look for more consistent performances to climb the VNL standings.

For a Belgian side that entered the VNL ranked 15th in the world and with no prior experience at this level, the week in Brasília has been a triumph. Sunday's five-set win over Iran was the perfect capstone.