Cuba men's national volleyball team

The Cuba men's national volleyball team (Spanish: Selección masculina de voleibol de Cuba) represents Cuba in international volleyball competitions and friendly matches, governed by Federación Cubana De Voleibol. Cuba in the 1976 Summer Olympics won their first bronze medal. In FIVB competitions, the national team won one gold each at World Cup, World Grand Champions Cup, World League and Challenger Cup. Cuba also attained two silver and two bronze World Championship medals and have won the NORCECA Championship 15 times with a 6-peat record.

Cuba
Nickname(s)Los leones del voleibol cubano (Lions of Cuban volleyball)
AssociationFederación Cubana De Voleibol
ConfederationNORCECA
Head coachCuba Jesus Cruz
FIVB ranking11 (as of 2 December 2023)
Uniforms
Home
Away
Third
Summer Olympics
Appearances7 (First in 1972)
Best result (1976)
World Championship
Appearances14 (First in 1956)
Best result (1990, 2010)
World Cup
Appearances8 (First in 1969)
Best result (1989)
Honours
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 0 1
World Championship 0 2 2
World Cup 1 3 1
World Grand Champions Cup 1 1 2
World League 1 5 3
Challenger Cup 1 1 0
NORCECA Championship 16 5 5
Pan-American Cup 4 0 3
Other competitions 0 2 1
Total 24 19 18
Medal Record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place1976 MontrealTeam
Friendship Games
Silver medal – second place1984 Moscow
World Championship
Silver medal – second place1990 Brazil
Silver medal – second place2010 Italy
Bronze medal – third place1978 Italy
Bronze medal – third place1998 Japan
World Cup
Gold medal – first place1989 Japan
Silver medal – second place1981 Japan
Silver medal – second place1991 Japan
Silver medal – second place1999 Japan
Bronze medal – third place1977 Japan
World Grand Champions Cup
Gold medal – first place2001 Japan
Silver medal – second place2009 Japan
Bronze medal – third place1993 Japan
Bronze medal – third place1997 Japan
World League
Gold medal – first place1998 Milan
Silver medal – second place1991 Milan
Silver medal – second place1992 Genova
Silver medal – second place1994 Milan
Silver medal – second place1997 Moscow
Silver medal – second place1999 Mar del Plata
Bronze medal – third place1995 Rio de Janeiro
Bronze medal – third place2005 Belgrade
Bronze medal – third place2012 Bulgaria
Challenger Cup
Gold medal – first place2022 Seoul
Silver medal – second place2019 Ljubljana
NORCECA Championship
Gold medal – first place1969 Mexico City
Gold medal – first place1971 Havana
Gold medal – first place1975 Los Angeles
Gold medal – first place1977 Santo Domingo
Gold medal – first place1979 Havana
Gold medal – first place1981 Mexico City
Gold medal – first place1987 Havana
Gold medal – first place1989 San Juan
Gold medal – first place1991 Regina
Gold medal – first place1993 New Orleans
Gold medal – first place1995 Edmonton
Gold medal – first place1997 San Juan
Gold medal – first place2001 Bridgetown
Gold medal – first place2009 Bayamon
Gold medal – first place2011 Mayaguez
Gold medal – first place2019 Winnipeg
Silver medal – second place1973 Tijuana
Silver medal – second place1985 Santiago
Silver medal – second place1999 Monterrey
Silver medal – second place2005 Winnipeg
Silver medal – second place2015 Córdoba
Bronze medal – third place1983 Indianapolis
Bronze medal – third place2003 Culiacán
Bronze medal – third place2007 Anaheim
Bronze medal – third place2013 Langley
Bronze medal – third place2023 Charleston
Pan-American Cup
Gold medal – first place2014 TijuanaTeam
Gold medal – first place2016 Mexico CityTeam
Gold medal – first place2019 Colima CityTeam
Gold medal – first place2022 GatineauTeam
Bronze medal – third place2007 Santo DomingoTeam
Bronze medal – third place2017 GatineauTeam
Bronze medal – third place2018 CórdobaTeam
Central American and Caribbean Games
Silver medal – second place2006 CartagenaTeam
Goodwill Games
Bronze medal – third place1990 Seattle

Results

Olympic Games
  • 1972 – 10th place
  • 1976 – Bronze medal
  • 1980 – 7th place
  • 1984 – Qualified but withdrew due 1984 boycott
  • 1988 – Quafified but withdrew due 1988 boycott
  • 1992 – 4th place
  • 1996 – 6th place
  • 2000 – 7th place
  • 2004 – Didnt Qualify
  • 2008 – Didnt Qualify
  • 2012 – Didnt Qualify
  • 2016 – 11th place
  • 2020 – Didnt Qualify
  • 2024 – To be determined

World Championship
  • 1956 – 19th place
  • 1966 – 17th place
  • 1970 – 13th place
  • 1974 – 8th place
  • 1978 – Bronze medal
  • 1982 – 10th place
  • 1986 – 5th place
  • 1990 – Silver medal
  • 1994 – 4th place
  • 1998 – Bronze medal
  • 2002 – 19th place
  • 2006 – 15th place
  • 2010 – Silver medal
  • 2014 – 11th place
  • 2018 – 18th place
  • 2022 – 14th place
  • 2025 – Qualified

World Cup
  • 1969 – 9th place
  • 1977 – Bronze medal
  • 1981 – Silver medal
  • 1989 – Gold medal
  • 1991 – Silver medal
  • 1995 – 6th place
  • 1999 – Silver medal
  • 2011 – 5th place

World Grand Champions Cup
  • 1993 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1997 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2001 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2009 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal

World League
  • 1991 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1992 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1993 – 4th place
  • 1994 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1995 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1996 – 4th place
  • 1997 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1998 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1999 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2000 – 8th place
  • 2001 – 5th place
  • 2002 – 13th place
  • 2003 – 13th place
  • 2004 – 7th place
  • 2005 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2006 – 7th place
  • 2007 – 7th place
  • 2008 – 10th place
  • 2009 – 4th place
  • 2010 – 4th place
  • 2011 – 8th place
  • 2012 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2013 – 13th place
  • 2014 – 21st place
  • 2015 – 18th place
  • 2016 – 22nd place
  • 2017 – Withdrew

Nations League
  • 2023 – 13th place
  • 2024 – Qualified

Challenger Cup

Pan American Games
  • 1959 – 7th place
  • 1967 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1971 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1975 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1979 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1983 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1987 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1991 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1995 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1999 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2003 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2007 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2011 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2015 – 5th place
  • 2019 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal

NORCECA Championship
  • 1969 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1971 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1973 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1975 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1977 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1979 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1981 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1983 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1985 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1987 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1989 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1991 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1993 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1995 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1997 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1999 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2001 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2003 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2005 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2007 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2009 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2011 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2013 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2015 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2017 – did not participate
  • 2019 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2021 – 4th place
  • 2023 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal

Pan-American Cup
  • 2006 – 5th place
  • 2007 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2014 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2016 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2017 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2018 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2019 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2021 – Withdrew
  • 2022 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal

America's Cup
  • 1998 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1999 – 4th place
  • 2000 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2001 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2005 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2007 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2008 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal

Central American and Caribbean Games
  • 1930 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1935 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1938 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1946 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1950 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1954 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1962 – 4th place
  • 1966 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1970 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1974 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1978 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1982 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1986 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1990 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1993 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1998 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 2002 – Did not participate
  • 2006 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2010 – Did not participate
  • 2014 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2018 – 4th place

Goodwill Games
  • 1986 – did not participate
  • 1990 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal

Team

Current squad

The following is the Cuban roster in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's Olympic Qualification Tournaments

Head coach: Cuba Jesus Cruz

No. Name Date of birth Height Weight 2022-23 Club 2023-24 Club 2024-25 Club
1José Masso2 December 19972.04 m (6 ft 8 in)96 kg (212 lb)PortugalSporting CPGermanyVfB FriedrichshafenGermanyVfB Friedrichshafen
2Osniel Melgarejo18 December 19971.98 m (6 ft 6 in)86 kg (190 lb)ItalyAllianz MilanoItalyAllianz MilanoRussiaDynamo-LO
5Javier Concepción26 December 19972.00 m (6 ft 7 in)92 kg (203 lb)FrancePoitiersFrancePoitiers
6Christian Thondike Mejías28 May 20011.95 m (6 ft 5 in)76 kg (168 lb)RomaniaCS Dinamo BucureștiTurkeyCizre Belediyespor
7Yonder Garcia(L)23 February 19931.83 m (6 ft 0 in)78 kg (172 lb)EgyptAl AhlyEgyptAl Ahly
10Miguel Gutiérrez21 February 19971.99 m (6 ft 6 in)90 kg (200 lb)ItalyVolley PrataTurkeyAltekma SKTurkeyAltekma SK
11Lyvan Taboada4 October 19981.99 m (6 ft 6 in)75 kg (165 lb)RomaniaȘtiința Explorări Baia MareRomaniaSCM Zalău
12Jesus Herrera4 April 19951.96 m (6 ft 5 in)92 kg (203 lb)ItalySir Sicoma Monini PerugiaItalySir Sicoma Monini Perugia
17Roamy Alonso24 July 19972.03 m (6 ft 8 in)105 kg (231 lb)ItalyGas Sales PiacenzaItalyGas Sales PiacenzaItalyPrisma Taranto
18Miguel Ángel López25 March 19971.90 m (6 ft 3 in)90 kg (200 lb)BrazilSada CruzeiroBrazilSada CruzeiroJapanPanasonic Panthers
22Jose Miguel Gutierrez27 October 20011.94 m (6 ft 4 in)73 kg (161 lb)ItalyTop Volley CisternaItalyPrisma TarantoItalyModena Volley
23Marlon Yant23 May 20012.04 m (6 ft 8 in)100 kg (220 lb)ItalyCucine Lube CivitanovaItalyCucine Lube CivitanovaRussiaZenit Saint Petersburg
24Alain Gorguet28 December 19931.89 m (6 ft 2 in)84 kg (185 lb)Free AgentFree Agent
33Alexis Wilson23 October 20032.05 m (6 ft 9 in)96 kg (212 lb)Free AgentChinaTianjin Food Group

Dream Team Squad

After 2001, many players defected from Cuba seeking better life conditions. Some of them excelled during their pro career, being more often considered the best of their positions. The following list follow 15 men throughout that period of time, that one way or another make history and were called Dream team squad.

Head coach: Gilberto Herrera

No. Name Date of birth Height Weight Spike Block Club
1Wilfredo Leon Venero31 July 19932.02 m (6 ft 8 in)96 kg (212 lb)380 cm (150 in)346 cm (136 in)Italy Sir Safety Perugia
13Robertlandy Simon11 June 19872.08 m (6 ft 10 in)114 kg (251 lb)389 cm (153 in)326 cm (128 in)Italy Cucine Lube Civitanova
4Yoandry Leal31 August 19882.01 m (6 ft 7 in)107 kg (236 lb)371 cm (146 in)348 cm (137 in)Italy Leo Shoes PerkinElmer Modena
5Osmany Juantorena12 August 19852.00 m (6 ft 7 in)85 kg (187 lb)370 cm (150 in)340 cm (130 in)Italy Cucine Lube Civitanova
14Raydel Hierrezuelo14 July 19871.97 m (6 ft 6 in)87 kg (192 lb)340 cm (130 in)335 cm (132 in)Greece Foynikas Syros
9Michael Sánchez5 June 19862.06 m (6 ft 9 in)100 kg (220 lb)365 cm (144 in)340 cm (130 in)South Korea Korean Air Jumbos
19Fernando Hernandez11 September 19891.96 m (6 ft 5 in)78 kg (172 lb)358 cm (141 in)339 cm (133 in)Turkey Halkbank
15Oreol Camejo22 July 19862.08 m (6 ft 10 in)94 kg (207 lb)354 cm (139 in)326 cm (128 in)Russia Zenit Saint Petersburg
1Leonel Marshall25 September 19791.96 m (6 ft 5 in)96 kg (212 lb)383 cm (151 in)353 cm (139 in)Italy LPR Piacenza
7Angel Dennis13 June 19771.93 m (6 ft 4 in)83 kg (183 lb)360 cm (140 in)330 cm (130 in)Portugal Sporting CP
14Ihosvany Hernández6 June 19722.06 m (6 ft 9 in)103 kg (227 lb)368 cm (145 in)349 cm (137 in)Retired

2016 Finland rape incident

Eight members of the Cuban national men's volleyball team, including the team's captain, were held in Tampere, Finland on suspicion of aggravated gang rape of a 35-year-old Finnish woman,[1][2] as of July 2016. Two of them later had their charges dismissed.[3] The incident took place in the Hotel Ilves at Tampere where the Olympics-bound Cuban team were staying. The arrested players were scheduled to play with the Cuban team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[4]

On 16 August, the six team members still remaining in custody were charged with aggravated rape at Pirkanmaa District Court[5] and the proceedings started on 29 August.[6] On 20 September, four of the men, Osmany Uriarte, Rolando Cepeda Abreu, Ricardo Norberto Calvo, and Abraham Alfonso Gavilán were given five-year jail sentences, while Luis Sosa Sierra was facing a prison term of three and a half years.[7][8] All men appealed, and on 30 June 2017, the Turku court of appeal decreased the length of all sentences and lifted the sentence of Sosa Sierra.[9]

According to The New York Times, the Cuban Volleyball Association stated early on that the athletes’ behavior was counter to the “discipline the sense of honor and respect that govern our sport and society”.[10]

In June 2017, all players convicted for aggravated rape appealed, and sentences were reduced in the case of Uriarte, Alfonso, Calvo, and the ex-captain Abreu. Sosa Sierra was released as he was found not guilty due to lack of evidence, and he received compensation from the government of Finland of 200,000 euros for financial and reputational harm.[11]

Kit providers

The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Cuba national volleyball team.

Period Kit provider
2000– Adidas
Puma

Sponsorship

Primary sponsors include: main sponsors like Honda.

References
  1. Kuubalaisten raiskausjutussa on käynnissä viimeinen päivä – Tämä jutusta tiedetään Archived 2016-10-11 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish) Aamulehti
  2. Syyttäjä: Kuubalaiset käyttivät joukkoraiskauksessa väkivaltaa ja kuvasivat teon (in Finnish) Iltalehti
  3. "Two Cuban volleyballers released, six still held". Yleisradio. 2016-07-04. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  4. "Members of Cuba's volleyball team detained on rape suspicions". Yleisradio. 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  5. Mansikka, Heli (2016-08-16). "Kuubalaisia lentopalloilijoita vastaan nostettiin syyte – kaikkia kuutta epäillään törkeästä raiskauksesta" [Charged pressed against Cuban volleyball players – all six suspected of aggravated rape] (in Finnish). Yleisradio. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  6. Jansson, Kaisu (2016-08-29). "Kuubalaisten lentopalloilijoiden oikeudenkäynti alkaa Tampereella" [Cuban volleyballers' trial begins in Tampere] (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  7. Viidelle kuubalaispelaajalle vankeustuomio - raiskasivat naisen törkeästi Tampereella (in Finnish) Iltalehti
  8. Oppman, Patrick (20 September 2016). "5 Cuban volleyball players convicted of rape in Finland". CNN. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  9. "Kuubalaisten lentopalloilijoiden raiskaustuomiot lyhenivät hovissa, yhden syyte hylättiin".
  10. Bilefsky, Dan; Kuosa, Mari-Leena (20 September 2016). "5 Cuban Volleyball Players Convicted of Rape in Finland". The New York Times.
  11. "Finnish woman's gang rape was filmed — documents reveal what happened that night in the Tampere hotel" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
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