ALAS Pilipinas head coach Angiolino Frigoni remains a fixture on the sidelines of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Manila even after the Nationals’ crushing exit to Iran
READ: No regrets for Frigoni even as Alas Men wakes up from dream run
At 71, Frigoni has won a handful of World Championships, European crowns and domestic titles in over five decades of coaching in the international volleyball scene.
One thing that doesn’t end, however, is his desire to learn and help keep his players going and growing.
Frigoni watched his former players Ale Michieletto and head coach Fefe de Giorgi tow defending champion Italy to the FIVB Worlds quarterfinals by routing Argentina in straight sets, 25-23, 25-20, 25-22.
The ever-so stern tactician believes that in order to be the best, one has to watch and learn from the best.
“Until now, I didn’t miss one match. Just the group, I miss. But I was here for two matches yesterday, two matches today,” Frigoni said.
“I am 71 years old but I want to improve, I want to see what they are doing in the other teams. If I can get something that I can use with my team, I will do it. Why not?”
Compatriot bias aside, Frigoni is confident that Italy’s empire will remain undeterred by the end of this year’s World Championship.
But as Alas learned firsthand in its world stage debut, not a single win will come easy against any team regardless of their prior experience or where they rank.
“I said to you, for me, [Italy] is still one of the teams [to beat]. There are a lot of teams, not just Italy. Poland, for example,” said Frigoni.
“But Italy, they are there. They can think to be champion again because they were champions already during the last World Championship.”
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