Putting Argentina’s best, front and center
In 2022, Quezon City became the center of one of the most exciting sporting events in Manila. The city successfully hosted 16 matches among eight of the best teams in the world at the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League’s preliminary round, much to the delight of the enthusiastic and electric Filipino crowd. The fact that it was held again in 2023 and 2024 at the Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena (where it painted a riveting portrait of volleyball appreciation locally) perhaps foreshadowed a mini “Thrilla in Manila” three years later.
Following the approval of a new two-year cycle, the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship now sees the Philippines front and center again as it hosts 32 teams from Sept. 12 to 28, 2025.
This year’s event also marks the first time that the Philippine men’s volleyball team, Alas Pilipinas, debuted in the Worlds. “The moment I stepped onto the court, I got chills. I almost teared up, because this is the first time something like this is happening in the Philippines—and I get to be part of it,” says Owa Retamar in an interview.
But under the blazing lights of the Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena, one other team to watch out for is the Argentina men’s volleyball team. Currently ranked eighth in the world as of writing, Argentina is stacked with talents, including 2020 Olympics bronze medalist Agustin Loser, in its quest to take home the crown.
“I saw them when I had just arrived in the Philippines in April 2022 and they came to play some matches in June 2022,” says Ricardo Luis Bocalandro, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Philippines. “It was my first experience watching them play here, so I’m very happy to receive them here. It’s a great honor to have an Argentinian delegation playing here for the World Championship.”
As the team go at it in the courts, we caught up with a few of the players in an exclusive dinner hosted by the Embassy of Argentina in the Philippines at Argentine entrepreneur and influencer Nico Bolzico’s Chingolo Deli in Alabang. Over incredible Argentine beef, wines from Rutini Winery, Toso Winery, and Fecovita, and a cultural performance from Filipino tango dancing couple Andrian Jang and Jen Lopez, it’s clear that Argentina doesn’t just leave everything they have on the court, they also are powerhouses in serving killer answers and style.
What’s something you would like to do in the Philippines?
Luciano Vicentin (LV): I remember my first time in the Philippines was in 2022, and I remember the fans, the people in the stadium… and I want to see them again. I want to start the World Championship to see the crowd.
Luciano Palonsky (LP): First, play in the World Championship [laughs], but also, I would love to get to see the beaches here; I just don’t know if we would have time, but that would be nice.
Pablo Kukartsev (PK): It’s my first time here in the Philippines and I always hear it’s a beautiful place because you have a lot of things to do here, to discover here. Honestly I’m curious about the country. Pity we don’t have too much time to visit important places.
Nicolás Zerba (NZ): I would like to visit the beaches to be honest, but we don’t have a lot of time, so now, maybe just play the World Cup and win it [laughs].
Agustin Loser (AL): I’d like to know more about the country in general, the culture, the beaches, and everything. I think it’s an amazing country.
Is there anything you discovered about the Philippines that surprised you?
LV: I think how fanatic people here are about volleyball because you have a league and a national team, but you know every player, every national team… it’s not only one country, you know about everything. And this was a real surprise.
NZ: The hospitality from the people is amazing. It’s crazy. I really like it and also the fans in the court surprised me.
LP: The hospitality of the people, too. I think everyone is so nice to us and I even realized that when we go somewhere, they talk politely to us and put their hands on their heart.
AL: The beaches for sure. I saw them in photos, but I couldn’t go.
What do you eat after a match?
LV: What I want to eat or what I have to eat? [laughs]. For sure some protein and carbs and vegetables.
PK: I think the most important for recovery is protein. And carbs because we lose a lot of energy so rice, pasta, [and] chicken.
NZ: Protein, carbohydrates… To be honest, I don’t have [a] special dish. I like to eat heavy meals [laughs].
LP: It depends when we play, if in the afternoon or in the morning, but usually I’m pretty hungry, so I try to eat some pasta to get some energy back.
AL: Normally, we try to eat protein and carbohydrates… pasta, chicken, [and] meat.
What do you do on your day off?
AL: It depends where I am, but normally for example, [for] a day off here, we’d go to a mall, visit some parts of the city, and also to meet with the team and drink mate, a traditional drink from Argentina.
LV: I play video games and drink a lot of mate, too.
PK: I try to rest and if I have the opportunity to go outside and see places, then I always try to do it.
NZ: I like to read and go out of my home. I don’t like to spend too much time inside. And if I have the opportunity, just be with my parents and friends.
LP: If I’m too tired, I relax, and if not, maybe I go to a mall or visit a city’s historical place.
