VNL Best Players: Top Stars of the Nations League
On this page5
The best players in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) are the game’s biggest international stars — led on the women’s side by Italy’s Paola Egonu, the only two-time women’s VNL MVP, and on the men’s side by dynamic talents from powerhouses like France, Poland and Italy. The recent MVPs and standout performers are below, with awards as of the 2025 edition.
What makes a top VNL player
The VNL is the premier annual national-team competition in volleyball, so its best players are the leading attackers, setters and defenders of the world’s strongest sides. Top honors — the MVP and best-by-position awards — usually go to the biggest scorers on the teams that reach the Finals, especially opposite and outside hitters racking up kills.
Recent VNL MVPs
Winners are decided at each summer’s Finals. This table reflects results through the 2025 edition (per Volleyball World); confirm the latest edition before citing a current MVP.
| Year | Women’s MVP | Men’s MVP |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Monica De Gennaro (Italy) | Jakub Kochanowski (Poland) |
| 2024 | Paola Egonu (Italy) | Antoine Brizard (France) |
| 2023 | Melissa Vargas (Türkiye) | Paweł Zatorski (Poland) |
| 2022 | Paola Egonu (Italy) | Earvin N’Gapeth (France) |
The standout: Paola Egonu
Egonu is the most decorated player in VNL history, the only woman to win the MVP twice (2022 and 2024). A powerful opposite hitter, she is one of the sport’s premier scorers and the driving force behind Italy’s success. In a young competition, two MVP awards give her a statistical claim to being the best women’s VNL player so far.
Nations that dominate the awards
| Side | Perennial contenders |
|---|---|
| Men | France, Poland, Italy, USA, Brazil, Japan |
| Women | Italy, Türkiye, Brazil, USA, China, Poland |
Because top awards follow the teams that reach the Finals, the best individual players tend to come from these nations. A libero like De Gennaro breaking through underlines how defense, not just attacking, can define a tournament.
How the awards work
At each Finals, organizers name an MVP plus best players by position — best outside hitters, middle blockers, opposite, setter and libero. The choices weigh kills, blocks and reception across the tournament, guided by the scoring system. For the all-time greats beyond this competition, see our list of the best volleyball players, and learn the format in our guide to the Volleyball Nations League. More lists live in our records hub.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the best players in the VNL?+
The standout VNL players are the leading stars of the top national teams. On the women's side, Italy's Paola Egonu is the most decorated, the only two-time women's VNL MVP, alongside stars like Türkiye's Melissa Vargas. On the men's side, players from France, Poland and Italy have dominated the awards. The 'best' shifts each edition as the tournament's MVP and best-position awards are handed out.
Who has won the most VNL MVP awards?+
Paola Egonu of Italy is the only player to win the women's VNL MVP twice, in 2022 and 2024, making her the most decorated MVP in the competition's history. No men's player had matched that as of the 2025 edition. Because the VNL is a relatively young tournament, launched in 2018, the list of multiple winners is still short.
Who was the most recent VNL MVP?+
As of the 2025 edition, the women's VNL MVP was Italy's Monica De Gennaro and the men's MVP was Poland's Jakub Kochanowski, per Volleyball World. MVP awards are decided at the end of each summer's Finals. Because the winners change every year, it is worth checking Volleyball World for the latest edition's award before citing a current MVP.
Which countries produce the best VNL players?+
The strongest VNL nations supply most of the standout players. On the men's side, France, Poland, Italy, the United States, Brazil and Japan are perennial contenders. On the women's side, Italy, Türkiye, Brazil, the United States, China and Poland lead the way. The best individual awards tend to go to the [attackers](/what-is-a-kill-in-volleyball/) and setters of the teams that reach the Finals.
Is Paola Egonu the best VNL player ever?+
Egonu has a strong claim as the best women's VNL player to date: she is the only two-time women's MVP and one of the most powerful opposite hitters in the world, leading Italy to VNL success. 'Best ever' is always debatable in a young competition, but her two MVP awards give her a statistical edge no other woman had matched as of 2025.
What positions do the best VNL players usually play?+
MVP and best-player awards most often go to opposite hitters and outside hitters — the primary scorers who rack up kills — and to elite setters who orchestrate the offense. Occasionally a libero or middle blocker earns top recognition for defensive brilliance, as with Monica De Gennaro. Understanding the [volleyball positions](/volleyball-positions-explained/) helps explain why certain roles dominate the awards.
How are VNL best-player awards decided?+
At the end of each VNL Finals, organizers name a Most Valuable Player plus best players by position — best outside hitters, best middle blockers, best opposite, best setter and best libero — based on performance across the tournament. Statistics like points, kills, blocks and reception quality inform the choices, but the awards reward impact in the decisive Finals matches, not just raw season totals.
Sources
Play & tools
Free browser games and tools — no account, no download.
- Play today's Sports Connections — Today's Sports Connections — daily hints, answers, and play the grid.
- Play Guess the NFL Player — A new mystery NFL player every day. Eight guesses, with a clue on each — plus free unlimited mode.
- Explore all our games →
Related records & rankings guides
View all →
What Is the Volleyball Nations League (VNL)?
The Volleyball Nations League is FIVB's top annual national-team tournament, with 16 men's and 16 women's teams playing a group stage and a Finals each summer.
Best Volleyball Players of All Time: The Greatest Ever
A ranked look at the greatest volleyball players in history, covering legendary setters, outside hitters, and blockers who defined the sport across decades.
Tallest Athletes of All Time
From basketball courts to volleyball nets, the tallest athletes ever turned extraordinary height into dominance. Meet the most remarkable giants in sports.
How Volleyball Scoring Works: Rally Scoring Explained
Volleyball uses rally scoring: a point on every rally, sets to 25, a fifth set to 15, win by two. How points, sets and matches are counted, with a table.
Libero Rules in Volleyball: What They Can and Can't Do
The libero is a back-row defensive specialist who can't attack above the net or block. Full libero rules: the jersey, substitutions and what's allowed.
Volleyball Rules Explained: The Full Ruleset
Volleyball rules in one place: six players a side, three hits per rally, rally scoring to 25, clockwise rotation and the common faults that lose points.