Bulgaria has won the European Volleyball Championship! The under-18 women's team claimed a decisive victory over Belgium with a score of 3:0 (25:15, 25:18, 28:26). Under the guidance of the legendary Antonina Zetova, the Bulgarian team had an outstanding tournament. During the group stage in Crete, they secured six victories and only one defeat. Their most remarkable win came in the semi-final against Italy, where they turned the game around.

In the Romanian hall where the final took place, Federation President Lubomir Ganev was in the stands applauding. This was Bulgaria's first women's European final since 1942, and their last appearance was in 1982 when the under-20 team won silver.

The first set was a delight for Bulgarian fans. The team started strong, scoring five points in a row. After allowing Belgium one point, they quickly added three more. It was crucial to demonstrate their class and build confidence from the start, which they did flawlessly. The smallest lead during the set was 10:5 and 14:9. The Bulgarians' varied attacks disrupted the Belgian team, and any hesitation was quickly addressed by Zetova's timeouts. Dimana Ivanova kept changing the attack flanks, and the set ended just as it began—with a streak. After 23:15, Bulgaria scored three consecutive points and was just two sets away from the title.

The second set started more evenly, but Bulgaria soon took control. The only tie was at 1:1, followed by a series of four points. Fourteen-year-old Darina Naneva's strong performance during the serve overwhelmed Belgium, leading to a new streak and a score of 12:4. After an injury to a Belgian player and a brief medical interruption, Bulgaria extended their lead by another five points. Despite Belgium's brief exchange of points, Bulgaria's significant lead remained intact, and they secured the set at 25:18.

The third set was more competitive, as it was Belgium's last chance to stay in the game. The set progressed point by point until Bulgaria managed to take a fragile lead at 9:7, which gave them momentum. Strong serves and effective blocking brought the score to 11:8, but Belgium fought back, tying the score after a three-point run. Belgium took the lead at 12:11, but Kalina Veneva equalized immediately. Bulgaria's four-point streak on Veneva's serve brought them closer to victory.

With a lead of 19:14, thanks to Dimana Ivanova's excellent serves, Bulgaria seemed poised for victory. Belgium made a final push, closing the gap to 21:18. The match continued with intense rallies, and despite missing the first match point, Bulgaria maintained focus. The score tied at 25:25, and Belgium gained a game ball at 26:25, but a successful challenge by Zetova tied the score again. Karina Veleva's performance led to a fifth match point, and a final block secured Bulgaria's triumph. Bulgaria is the European champion!