Oleh Plotnitsky, a leading player of the Ukraine national volleyball team, gave an exclusive interview to Suspilne Sport in which he summed up a packed international season that brought the "blue and yellows" both historic achievements and painful disappointments. According to the volleyball player, the year turned out to be highly mixed: on one side — reaching the VNL playoffs for the first time in history, on the other — an early exit from the 2026 European Championship at the round of 16 stage.

VNL: A Historic Breakthrough Amid Limited Rotation

In Plotnitsky's own words, the 2026 VNL season left behind "pleasant memories." The Ukraine team reached the tournament's playoffs for the first time in its history, and the volleyball player called this result "a super-class achievement that one can be proud of." The special significance of this success is underscored by the fact that the team competed with virtually the same lineup for two years, without any full rotation. "We are playing with practically the same lineup, and in two years we reached the playoffs this quickly — that is simply super-class," emphasized the team leader, adding that such an achievement under the constraints of the roster deserves respect.

2026 European Championship: A Stop at the Round of 16 and a Call for Change

Plotnitsky gave a very different assessment of the team's performance at the continental championship. After a bright start to the tournament, the Ukraine team stopped at the round of 16 stage, losing in the decisive match. The volleyball player did not look for external excuses and directly pointed to the internal causes of the failure: "We could have done better. I think we could have made the top 8. We didn't get through because of our own reasons, which need to be analyzed." In his words, part of the players must change, otherwise the team risks getting stuck at the current level: "If we don't change, we can just stay at this level. We'll be somewhere in the top 8 or top 16 — and that's it."

Mental and Technical Work: What Awaits the Team Ahead

Plotnitsky drew attention to the need for serious work on the mental and technical components of the game. "We need to grow. After the match with Romania it will not be easy for us. We need a miracle, but there is still time to create one," he stated, referring to the upcoming qualifying and qualification tournaments. The volleyball player also pointed to a systemic problem: there is still no full rotation in the national team's lineup, which creates additional load on the key performers and limits tactical flexibility on the court.

Outlook: VNL and the 2027 World Championship

In the next competitive year, the Ukraine team will again take part in the VNL, and the main climax of the season will be the 2027 World Championship. It is precisely for this tournament that, in Plotnitsky's logic, the team should arrive with a renewed approach, strengthened mental preparation, and an expanded rotation. The words of the team leader sound like a warning: without systemic changes and an honest analysis of the mistakes accumulated over the past two years, the ambitions of Ukrainian volleyball may remain at the level of a top-16 European team.