Italy have never been absent from an FIVB World Championship since making their debut in 1978. In their ten appearances to date, the Italians have been crowned world champions once, after beating USA in five sets in the 2002 final in Berlin. Twice they came close to a bronze, but fell in the third-place playoffs; a 3-0 loss to Serbia & Montenegro 3-0 in 2006 and again in 2014 when they lost 3-2 against Brazil.
The Italian team have won the FIVB Volleyball World Cup twice (2007, 2011), as well as lifting the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup in 2009. Italy have also been ever-present at the Olympic Games since Sydney 2000, and have gone on to make the quarter-finals three times: at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and the London 2012 Games. At Rio 2016, Italy finished in ninth place overall.
On a continental level, Italy have won several medals at the European Championships, including gold in 2007 and 2009. In the latest edition, last year, Italy were knocked out by the Netherlands 3-0 in the quarterfinals.
Last year Italy took part in their 19th FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, losing in the final to Brazil in a five-set thriller in Nanjing. This was the team's third silver medal in the history of the competition, mirroring their 2004 and 2005 campaigns. Italy have also won four bronze medals in the competition (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010). In this year's inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Italy came close but ultimately missed out on a place in the Final Six, finishing with a 10-5 record.