Paris (AFP)
The French Volleyball Federation struck hard for the succession of Laurent Tillie after the Olympic Games in Tokyo: it convinced the legendary Bernardinho, double Olympic champion and triple world champion with Brazil, to lead the Blues until the Olympics-2024 from Paris.
After nine years at the head of the France team, Laurent Tillie will return his national coach apron after the Tokyo Olympics, no later than August 7.
To find him a successor, the FFVolley launched at the beginning of February a call for candidates, French or international.
Several candidates were auditioned and among them, the Brazilian Bernardinho, 61, who has been heard in recent days.
The contract was finally concluded on Monday: three years, with the first stage of the rocket Euro-2021 in September, then the World-2022, Euro-2023 and finally the Olympics-2024 in Paris.
"When I look at this France team and its evolution today, I am very enthusiastic at the idea of being able to bring my expertise to it, in order to move towards a single common goal: the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris. ", launched the future coach, whose real name is Bernardo Rezende.
It is a masterstroke for the French Volleyball Federation, because Bernardinho, a true living legend of world volleyball, who arrives on extremely fertile ground.
- First titles under Tillie -
With talented players - the passer Benjamin Tonuitti, the libero Jénia Grebennikov, the sharp Antonin Rouzier, the star Earvin Ngapeth - the French volleyball players had their first international titles in 2015 with the European coronation in the fall, a few weeks after having won their first World League in Rio.
This golden generation of French volleyball is renewed with players who will be at the peak of their careers at the Olympics-2024, such as Stephen Boyer, who took on a new dimension at Euro-2019, the passer Antoine Brizard or the sharp Jean Patry , hero of the Olympic qualifying tournament won in January 2020 in Berlin, synonymous with the second consecutive appearance at the Games.
It is therefore a team installed over time among the best nations that Bernardinho will recover, for a new challenge: to win Olympic gold a third time, a second time as coach of the host country.
"This team has the potential and I would like to highlight the admirable work that Laurent Tillie has done with his players for nine years. I want to continue this work, push the limits and the capacities of each one, continue to make them grow as as sportsmen and human beings ", he praised.
Former passer at the end of the 1970s and in the 1980s, he participated in the legendary "Geraçao de prata" (silver generation), which launched Brazilian volleyball to the top with silver medals at the World Cup. 1982 and at the Olympics-1984, the equivalent of the "Barjots" of the French hand.
- Four Olympic finals, two titles -
But it is above all as a coach and coach that he has built his own legend, first at the head of the Brazilian women's selection with which he won bronze in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000.
Arrived at the head of the men's Seleçao in 2001, he led it to the following four Olympic finals, winning gold in 2004 in Athens and in 2016 in Rio, in the mythical Maracanazinho in front of more than 10,000 spectators in a country where volleyball is the N.2 sport behind football.
In Brazil, Bernardinho is one of the most popular sports figures, outside of football, along with tennis player Gustavo Kuerten.
A popularity that comes not only from his immense track record, but also from his charisma, his hot personality, with his rants and his very passionate side.
With his first wife, the former international Vera Mossa, he had a son, Bruninho, passer of the Brazilian selection that he coached during the Olympic finals of 2008, 2012 and 2016.
His aura goes beyond the strict sports field.
He entered politics with the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB, center-right) in 2013, with a view to running for governor of Rio, but ultimately did not run.
In April 2017, he joined the Partido Novo (New Party, right), but once again gives up running for governor at the last moment.
© 2021 AFP