Many seniors have called it a day, but Groeser says he’s not done yet.
The German men’s national volleyball team’s journey to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games came to an end in the quarterfinals. After going 2-1 in the group stage, the Germans faced off against the hosts France in the quarterfinals and were evenly matched, but had to settle for a reverse sweep after a close full-set match.
The Germans were quickly touted as the team to beat after going undefeated in the final round of the Road to Paris qualifiers in Brazil last October. While East Germany had won a silver medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the country had never won a medal in the name of Germany, so expectations were high that they could make history at the Games. Although they failed to win a medal, Germany’s performance and 메이저 토토사이트 momentum from the preliminary round to the final round was applauded by many fans.
One of the players at the center of this was Görgy Grozer. The 1984-born veteran, who has been playing professionally since 2000 and is still a mainstay of the German national team, is also well known to fans in South Korea, where he played for Samsung Fire in the V-League during the 2015-16 season. He is also one of the best servers in the world. He has won 10 individual awards for his serving. He also holds the record for the most points in a single match in V-League history (15).
At 40 years old, Groeser’s attack and serve are not as powerful as they once were, but his added experience and poise make him a threat, especially in Germany, where he is still an irreplaceable resource for a country that lacks a specialized outside hitter. So much so that head coach Mihal Vignarski didn’t even play him in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2024, enlisting him as a libero, to ensure that he would be able to perform at 100% on the Olympic stage.
Groeser went to the Olympics and performed well, racking up 78 points in four matches, including eight in service aces and 15 in blocks (tied for first place before the final), but it didn’t translate into a medal. Fans were understandably worried that this might be the last dance for the veteran.
In an interview, Groeser addressed their concerns. After her trip to Paris, an interview with the German publication Sportschau was published on the official website of the German Volleyball Federation (DVV). “It’s still painful, I often cry when I think about it,” said Groeser, who is nicknamed ‘Der Opa’ (Grandpa). It will take time to recover. I need to take a vacation to a peaceful and quiet place to regain my energy for the future,” he said after the loss to France.
When asked about extending his career, Grozer gave a clear answer. “As long as I can help my teammates, there is no reason not to be on the court. I may not be able to play in every tournament or match, but I can still be in charge of important moments or help my teammates mentally, so I want to continue playing for a great team. I’m still healthy and my body can handle everything. I am still having a lot of fun in every moment,” he said, adding that he is not considering retirement just yet.
“If the team chooses me, I would love to play for the world championship again, and if I give everything for the team like I do now, I think we can achieve great things in the Philippines,” he said, adding that he is open to the possibility of playing at the FIVB Men’s World Championship next September in the Philippines. However, he denied the possibility of playing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “Paris was my last Olympics,” he said. I don’t think I will be able to play at this level in 2028, when I will be 44 years old,” she said, acknowledging that she cannot defy the passage of time.
Many volleyball fans in South Korea and around the world aren’t ready to let go of the player who is still going strong. Luckily, Roger himself feels the same way. We can’t wait to see his cannonball serve in the Philippines next September.