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Angiolino Frigoni remains a constant presence at the FIVB Men’s World Championship.
By the time he arrived in the Philippines, Alas Pilipinas head coach Angiolino Frigoni already had four decades’ worth of coaching experience under his belt, having left his mark in Egypt, the Netherlands, and even his native Italy long before setting foot in Manila.
Yet despite everything that he’s accomplished, the Italian mentor remains a true student of the game — a trait that he has displayed throughout the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship in Manila.
Even after Alas Pilipinas bowed out of the global showpiece, Frigoni has remained a constant presence at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, making sure to catch the World Championship knockout games live with his assistant coach Alejandro Aldama.
For him, the opportunity to watch these teams in person is also a chance to absorb lessons he can apply once the Alas Men return to training.
“Until now, I didn’t miss one match. Just the group stage, I think. But I was here for two matches yesterday,” Frigoni told reporters on Sunday, September 21, after Italy eliminated Argentina in their Round of 16 matchup.
“Because I am 71 years old, but I still want to improve and see what they are doing over there, and if I can pick up something that I can use for my team, I will do it, why not,” he said.
On Sunday, Frigoni also caught up with two of his former players on the Italy national team in head coach Fernandino de Giorgi and rising star Alessandro Michieletto. De Giorgi was once Frigoni’s setter in Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari, while Michieletto was part of Frigoni’s Italy Under-21 team that won the World Championship in 2021.
Having witnessed Frigoni’s mentorship firsthand, both coach and player believe that great things are in store for the Philippines as they move forward with the Italian mentor.
“Finally, I saw Angiolino! The best coach in the Philippines. That is Angiolino! He’s coaching very, very well, and we saw what happened in the last match versus Iran,” de Giorgi said as he recalled Alas’ heartbreaking exit.
“I don’t know, it was [very, very close]. But congratulations for the work and the play of the Filipinos!”
In an earlier interview, Michieletto shared, “I think Angiolino is a great coach, I think he changed the volleyball here [in Italy] because he worked with incredible players. So I think that Filipinos need this type of coach to begin [the growth] of volleyball here.”
“With Angiolino, I have a lot of beautiful memories,” Michieletto added following Italy’s final group stage game last September 19, hours after Frigoni and Alas’ brave stand against Iran.
“We won the Under-21 World Championship and a silver in the European Championship, so it will be two fantastic years with him where I learned a lot from him and [Julio] Velasco.”
Frigoni, meanwhile, expressed his support for Italy’s title repeat quest, while pointing out the level of competition that is left playing in Manila. Still within Gli Azzurri’s bracket is their title rival and world no. 1 Poland, along with a giant-slaying Belgium that dealt them a stinging loss in pool play.
“There are other teams aside from Italy, such as Poland, for example…and don’t forget that Belgium beat Italy, 3-2, in group stage, and they still have to pass through them,” Frigoni warned.
“But Italy is a good team and they can think to be champions again because they won the last World Championship.”
Images courtesy of Volleyball World.