THERE’S a new pair of crowd darlings in town.
Bulgarian siblings Moni and Aleks Nikolov have taken over the Philippines by storm and are out to steer their humble nation to heights unknown in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
But there’s more to the prodigious setter-spiker duo than their dashing looks and explosive skillsets on the court.
They hail from Bulgarian volleyball royalty, too.
Their father Vladimir was the face of the sport in their homeland in the late 2000s, having captained Bulgaria to the bronze medal in the World Championship, the European Championship and the defunct World Cup.
Not to mention, even their mother Maya and their grandparents were all volleyball stars back in the day.
But even with the immense pressure that goes with carrying a prestigious name, Moni and Aleks wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“It’s nice, very nice to have my dad play volleyball long before me. Me and my brother try our best to create a legacy for ourselves but also acknowledge the name as much as we can,” said Moni, Bulgaria’s up-and-coming 18-year-old star setter.
"I’m proud of me and my brother. I think we’re trying our hardest to continue his legacy, continue his name Nikolov, hopefully we can medal this tournament but if not, then I know we’ve given it our all and he should be proud of us for that.
“I think that we are on a good path and I hope by the end of our careers, the Nikolov name is gonna be legendary.”
Aleks added: “It helps to have such family members in the family that know what they talk about and have done the journey that we’re doing with Moni now.
“It’s definitely something that goes beyond me as an individual. It’s something for our whole family.”
Tag team like no other
Aleks, 21, played with Moni at California State University, Long Beach in the US NCAA Division I and were hailed national champions in 2022.
From their backyards to the college ranks and the world stage, they’ve been quite a credentialed tag team that might be flying under the radar for now but is steadily leaving an imprint in the world game.
And playing with the Nikolov name on their jerseys gives them a constant reminder of not only who they’re playing for but also how they got to where they are now.
“It was just playing with our dad all the time, traveling wherever country he has played, just always having a volleyball on our hands and watching our dad’s games, we kind of just felt the need to play volleyball,” Moni shared.
“We really wanted to play volleyball and we just had to play volleyball since we were young.”
Just a few years into their careers so far, it has never gotten any easier for the Nikolov brothers to live with such a responsibility.
But knowing that they have each other to lean on when the eyes of the world are upon them eases the inherent tension in playing for their family and country quite significantly.
“It’s tough. It’s not easy, it’s tough. There’s a lot of responsibility but not as much pressure as some of the other teams because we’re not currently a top team, like a top four team,”
“We go out and we try to play our best against everybody. This is enough for now. We don’t have any expectations on us, to be honest.
“It’s fun and we’ll keep it this way.”
Niko-love for the game
The third-generation Nikolovs’ entry to the Bulgarian seniors’ national team gave the Balkan nation hope that their glory days that began about seven decades ago can soon be restored.
It was in 2015 when Bulgaria last won a major international medal — a silver in the 2015 European Games.
To be burdened with sky-high expectations at the age of 18 was an ordeal Moni has learned to live with.
But as the promising playmaker shared with SPIN.ph, nothing beats the fulfilling feeling of taking the court and playing with a purpose.
“I just enjoy to play volleyball. It’s what I’ve trained for my whole life. It’s my purpose right now in life — to wake up and play volleyball,” he said.
“Thankfully, I don’t feel nervous anymore. I’m just very excited before games now to go out and play.”
Regardless of how quarterfinals-bound Bulgaria’s Cinderella run in the FIVB Worlds plays out, Moni hopes to impart to fellow young dreamers like him to never be deterred by the bright lights and mindful eyes when chasing the desires of one’s heart.
“There’s nothing to be scared of,” Moni said.
“After all, volleyball is a sport and is a game. You’re supposed to have fun and be happy. My advice is just to go out there, have fun and do what makes you happy.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
