15 Best and Most Famous Volleyball Players of All Time

Our ranking of the 15 best volleyball players of all time, led by Karch Kiraly, Regla Torres and Giba, with Olympic medals and world titles.

Each profile lists position, country and clubs, birth date and the titles that matter, followed by what made the player stand out. This list covers indoor volleyball; beach specialists have their own ranking. Below the ranking you will find the best player at each position and the names that just missed the cut.

How We Ranked the Volleyball Players

Olympic titles: gold at the Games counts most, because that is where the strongest teams meet.
World titles: World Championships, World Cups and the World League or Nations League show who dominated between Olympics.
Individual awards: MVP awards at major tournaments, FIVB honours and the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Impact: whether the player changed how a position is played or carried a team to a level it never reached before.

Men and women are ranked on one list and judged against the fields they played in, which is why Inna Ryskal from the 1960s stands next to players from the 2020s. The order is our own judgment, not an official one.

The 15 Best Volleyball Players at a Glance

#	Player	Position	Career
1	Karch Kiraly	Outside hitter	1981 to 2007
2	Regla Torres	Middle blocker	1991 to 2002
3	Giba	Outside hitter	1995 to 2014
4	Lang Ping	Outside hitter	1978 to 1990
5	Lorenzo Bernardi	Outside hitter	1985 to 2002
6	Mireya Luis	Outside hitter	1983 to 2001
7	Sergey Tetyukhin	Outside hitter	1993 to 2018
8	Serginho	Libero	2001 to 2018
9	Inna Ryskal	Outside hitter	1962 to 1976
10	Zhu Ting	Outside hitter	since 2013
11	Earvin N’Gapeth	Outside hitter	since 2009
12	Kim Yeon-koung	Outside hitter	2005 to 2025
13	Wilfredo León	Outside hitter	since 2007
14	Andrea Giani	Middle blocker and outside hitter	1985 to 2007
15	Steve Timmons	Outside hitter	1983 to 1992

#1 Karch Kiraly

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: November 3, 1960, in Jackson, Michigan, USA
🌍 Country and clubs: United States (1981 to 1989), Il Messaggero Ravenna (1990 to 1992), AVP beach tour
🏆 Career Highlights: 3× Olympic champion (1984 and 1988 indoor, 1996 beach), World champion (1986), FIVB best player in the world (1986, 1988), 3× NCAA champion with UCLA, 148 professional beach titles, FIVB co-Player of the Century (2001)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2001

Kiraly is the only player with Olympic gold medals in both indoor and beach volleyball. He led the United States to indoor gold in 1984 and 1988 and the world title in 1986, and the FIVB named him the best player in the world in 1986 and 1988. At UCLA he won three NCAA titles with a record of 123 wins and 5 losses.

He then won the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament for men in 1996 with Kent Steffes and retired from the AVP after 2007 with 148 professional beach titles, 74 of them with Steffes. As a coach he led the US women to the 2014 world title and to Olympic gold in Tokyo.

#2 Regla Torres

🏐 Position: Middle blocker
🎂 Born: February 12, 1975, in Havana, Cuba
🌍 Country and clubs: Cuba (1991 to 2002), Ciudad Habana
🏆 Career Highlights: 3× Olympic champion (1992, 1996, 2000), 2× World champion (1994, 1998, MVP both times), 2× World Cup winner (1991, 1995), FIVB Best Player of the 20th Century
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2001

Torres won her first Olympic gold in Barcelona at 17 and her third in Sydney at 25. In between she was MVP of the 1994 and 1998 World Championships, both won by Cuba.

She was the central player of the Cuban team that won every major title of the 1990s, combining fast middle attacks with a block few teams could get past. In 2001 the FIVB named her the best female player of the 20th century, and she entered the Hall of Fame the same year, while still playing for Cuba.

#3 Giba

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: December 23, 1976, in Londrina, Brazil
🌍 Country and clubs: Brazil (1995 to 2012), Cuneo (2003 to 2007), Iskra Odintsovo (2007 to 2009)
🏆 Career Highlights: Olympic champion (2004, MVP), 2× Olympic silver (2008, 2012), 3× World champion (2002, 2006, 2010), 8× World League winner, MVP of the 2006 World League, 2006 World Championship and 2007 World Cup
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2018

Gilberto Amauri de Godoy Filho, known as Giba, was the face of the Brazilian team that won almost everything in the 2000s. Brazil took Olympic gold in Athens in 2004, beating Italy 3:1 in the final, and Giba was named MVP of the tournament.

He won three straight world titles from 2002 to 2010 and eight World League titles, and in 2006 and 2007 he was MVP of the World League, the World Championship and the World Cup in turn. He captained Brazil to silver at London 2012 and stopped playing in 2014, aged 37.

#4 Lang Ping

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: December 10, 1960, in Tianjin, China
🌍 Country and clubs: China (1978 to 1985, 1990)
🏆 Career Highlights: Olympic champion (1984, MVP), World champion (1982), 2× World Cup winner (1981, 1985, MVP 1985), Olympic gold as China coach (2016), Olympic silver as US coach (2008)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2002

Nicknamed the Iron Hammer for her spike, Lang Ping was the leading player of the Chinese team that won the 1981 World Cup, the 1982 World Championship and Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 1984, where she was named MVP. She captained China to another World Cup title in 1985.

Her coaching record is just as strong. She led China to Olympic silver in 1996, coached the US women to silver in Beijing in 2008, and in 2016 became the first person to win Olympic volleyball gold as both a player and a coach when China won in Rio.

#5 Lorenzo Bernardi

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: August 11, 1968, in Trento, Italy
🌍 Country and clubs: Italy (1987 to 2001), Modena (1985 to 1990), Treviso (1990 to 2002)
🏆 Career Highlights: 2× World champion (1990, 1994, best player 1994), 2× European champion (1989, 1995), Olympic silver (1996), 9× Italian champion, 4× European Champions Cup winner, FIVB co-Player of the Century (2001)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2011

Bernardi was the leading player of the Italian team that won the World Championships in 1990 and 1994 and the European titles in 1989 and 1995, and he was named best player at the 1994 Worlds. He played 306 matches for Italy between 1987 and 2001.

At club level he won nine Italian titles with Modena and Treviso and four European Champions Cups. In 2001 the FIVB named him and Karch Kiraly joint male players of the century. The one title he missed was the Olympics: Italy lost the 1996 final to the Netherlands in five sets.

#6 Mireya Luis

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: August 25, 1967, in Camagüey, Cuba
🌍 Country and clubs: Cuba (1983 to 2001)
🏆 Career Highlights: 3× Olympic champion (1992, 1996, 2000), 2× World champion (1994, 1998), 3× World Cup winner (1989, 1991, 1995, MVP 1989)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2004

Luis was only 1.75 metres tall, short for a top attacker, yet her jump made her one of the most feared spikers of her era. She captained Cuba from the late 1980s through its run of three Olympic golds in a row.

Between 1989 and 2000 she won three World Cups, two World Championships and three Olympic titles, and she was MVP of the 1989 World Cup.

#7 Sergey Tetyukhin

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: September 23, 1975, in Fergana, Uzbekistan
🌍 Country and clubs: Russia (1996 to 2016), Belogorie Belgorod, Parma (1999 to 2001)
🏆 Career Highlights: Olympic champion (2012), Olympic silver (2000), 2× Olympic bronze (2004, 2008), 2× World Cup winner (1999, 2011), World League winner (2002), 2× Champions League MVP (2003, 2014)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2021

Tetyukhin played at six Olympic Games and won medals at four of them, gold in London, silver in Sydney and bronze in Athens and Beijing. He is one of only three men with four Olympic volleyball medals, alongside Samuele Papi and Serginho.

In the 2012 final Russia came back from two sets down to beat Brazil, the biggest win of his career at 36. He spent most of his club career with Belogorie Belgorod and was Champions League MVP in 2003 and again in 2014. At Rio 2016 he carried the Russian flag at the opening ceremony.

#8 Serginho

🏐 Position: Libero
🎂 Born: October 15, 1975, in Diamante do Norte, Brazil
🌍 Country and clubs: Brazil (2001 to 2016), Piacenza (2004 to 2008), SESI São Paulo (2010 to 2017)
🏆 Career Highlights: 2× Olympic champion (2004, 2016, MVP 2016), 2× Olympic silver (2008, 2012), 2× World champion (2002, 2006)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2021

Sérgio Dutra dos Santos is widely regarded as the best libero of all time and won more awards than any other player in that role. He joined the national team in 2001 and won the world title in Argentina a year later, then again in 2006, with Olympic gold in Athens in between.

At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil beat Italy in the final and Serginho, then 40, was named MVP, a rare honour for a libero.

#9 Inna Ryskal

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: June 15, 1944, in Baku, Azerbaijan
🌍 Country and clubs: Soviet Union, Neftchi Baku
🏆 Career Highlights: 2× Olympic champion (1968, 1972), 2× Olympic silver (1964, 1976), World champion (1970), World Cup winner (1973)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2000

Ryskal was one of the leading players of the 1960s and early 1970s and played for the Soviet Union at four Olympic Games, from Tokyo 1964 to Montreal 1976. She won gold in Mexico City in 1968 and in Munich in 1972, and silver at the other two.

She added the 1970 world title and the 1973 World Cup, and she won world silver in 1962 and 1974. She played her club volleyball in her home city with Neftchi Baku and entered the Hall of Fame in 2000.

#10 Zhu Ting

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: November 29, 1994, in Dancheng, Henan, China
🌍 Country and clubs: China (2013 to 2021, 2024), VakıfBank (2016 to 2019), Scandicci (2022 to 2024), Imoco Conegliano (since 2024)
🏆 Career Highlights: Olympic champion (2016, MVP), 2× World Cup winner (2015, 2019), CEV Champions League winner (2017), World Championship silver (2014) and bronze (2018)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Active

Lang Ping picked Zhu Ting for the national team in 2013, and three years later she led China to Olympic gold in Rio and was named MVP of the tournament. She also won the World Cup with China in 2015 and 2019.

At VakıfBank in Istanbul she won the 2017 Champions League and was reported as the highest-paid player in the world in 2018 and 2019. A wrist injury hampered her at the Tokyo Olympics.

#11 Earvin N’Gapeth

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: February 12, 1991, in Saint-Raphaël, France
🌍 Country and clubs: France (since 2010), Cuneo, Modena (2014 to 2018), Zenit Kazan (2018 to 2021)
🏆 Career Highlights: 2× Olympic champion (2020, 2024), 2× World League winner (2015, 2017, MVP 2017), 2× Nations League winner (2022, 2024), European champion (2015)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Active

N’Gapeth is the most inventive attacker of his generation, known for no-look shots and improvised touches no coach would teach. He led France to its first Olympic gold in Tokyo and won it again at home in Paris in 2024.

Before that France had won the World League in 2015 and 2017, with N’Gapeth named MVP in 2017, and the European title in 2015. As of 2026 he is still playing at club level.

#12 Kim Yeon-koung

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: February 26, 1988, in Ansan, South Korea
🌍 Country and clubs: South Korea (2005 to 2021), Heungkuk Life (2005 to 2009, 2022 to 2025), JT Marvelous (2009 to 2011), Fenerbahçe (2011 to 2017)
🏆 Career Highlights: London 2012 Olympic MVP and top scorer (207 points), Asian Games gold (2014), CEV Champions League MVP, 5× Korean V-League champion

Kim was named MVP of the London 2012 Olympics even though South Korea finished fourth, and her 207 points set a record for a single Olympic tournament. She also led Korea to fourth place in Tokyo and to gold at the 2014 Asian Games.

At Fenerbahçe she became the first Asian player named MVP of the CEV Champions League. She finished her career where it began, at Heungkuk Life, and retired in April 2025 after winning her fifth Korean title.

#13 Wilfredo León

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: July 31, 1993, in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
🌍 Country and clubs: Cuba (2007 to 2012), Poland (since 2019), Zenit Kazan (2014 to 2018), Perugia (2018 to 2024), Bogdanka LUK Lublin (since 2024)
🏆 Career Highlights: Olympic silver (2024), Nations League winner (2023), World Championship silver (2010), 4× CEV Champions League winner (2015 to 2018), 2× Club World champion (2022, 2023)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Active

León made his debut for Cuba at 14 and won World Championship silver at 17 in 2010. He later left Cuba, took Polish citizenship in 2015 and has played for Poland since 2019.

His jump serve is among the fastest in the sport, and it made Zenit Kazan almost unbeatable: the club won four Champions League titles in a row with him from 2015 to 2018. With Poland he won the 2023 Nations League and Olympic silver in Paris in 2024, and as of 2026 he is still part of the national team.

#14 Andrea Giani

🏐 Position: Middle blocker and outside hitter
🎂 Born: April 22, 1970, in Naples, Italy
🌍 Country and clubs: Italy (1988 to 2005), Parma (1985 to 1996), Modena (1996 to 2007)
🏆 Career Highlights: 3× World champion (1990, 1994, 1998), 4× European champion (1993, 1995, 1999, 2003), 2× Olympic silver (1996, 2004), Olympic bronze (2000)
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 2008

Giani was the most versatile member of the Italian team that dominated the 1990s. He started as a middle blocker and later played outside hitter, and he won three world titles in a row from 1990 to 1998 and four European titles.

He played in Italy’s national team for 17 years and won Olympic medals at three Games, silver in 1996 and 2004 and bronze in 2000. After retiring he became a coach and has led the French men’s national team.

#15 Steve Timmons

🏐 Position: Outside hitter
🎂 Born: November 29, 1958, in Newport Beach, California, USA
🌍 Country and clubs: United States (1983 to 1989, 1991 to 1992), Il Messaggero Ravenna
🏆 Career Highlights: 2× Olympic champion (1984, 1988), Olympic bronze (1992), World champion (1986), World Cup winner (1985), MVP of the 1984 Olympic tournament
🏛️ Hall of Fame: Inducted 1998

Timmons was Karch Kiraly’s partner in the American team of the 1980s and was named MVP of the Olympic tournament in Los Angeles in 1984. He added a second gold in Seoul in 1988 and the world title in 1986.

He was known for his attack from the back row, a weapon few teams used regularly at the time. With Kiraly he moved to Il Messaggero Ravenna, where they won the Italian league in 1991 and the European Champions Cup in 1992. He returned to the national team that year and won a third Olympic medal, bronze, in Barcelona.

Best Volleyball Player at Every Position

If you want one name per position or era, these are our picks. For what each position does on the court, see our guide to the positions in volleyball.

Category	Player	Why
Outside hitter (men)	Karch Kiraly	Olympic gold indoor and on the beach
Outside hitter (women)	Mireya Luis	Captain of three straight Olympic champions
Middle blocker	Regla Torres	Best female player of the 20th century
Libero	Serginho	Two Olympic golds and Olympic MVP as a libero
Player and coach	Lang Ping	Olympic gold as a player and as a coach
Before 1980	Inna Ryskal	Four Olympic medals from 1964 to 1976
Best active man	Earvin N’Gapeth	Back-to-back Olympic titles with France
Best active woman	Zhu Ting	Olympic MVP in 2016

Honorable Mentions

Seven more players who came close and could make the list on another day.

Hugo Conte: Led Argentina to Olympic bronze in 1988 and entered the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Bernard Rajzman: Developed the high “Star Trek” serve and won Olympic silver with Brazil in 1984.
Renan Dal Zotto: Won Olympic silver with Brazil in 1984 and coached the Brazilian men from 2017.
Flo Hyman: Led the United States to Olympic silver in 1984 and died in 1986 of an aortic dissection caused by undiagnosed Marfan syndrome.
Fofão: Brazilian setter who played at five Olympic Games and won gold in Beijing in 2008.
Yekaterina Gamova: Won the world title with Russia in 2006 and 2010 and was MVP of the 2010 tournament.
Paola Egonu: Led Italy to Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 and the world title in 2025.

More About Volleyball

FAQ

Who is the best volleyball player of all time?

In our ranking it is Karch Kiraly, ahead of Regla Torres and Giba. Kiraly won Olympic gold indoors in 1984 and 1988 and on the beach in 1996, and the FIVB named him and Lorenzo Bernardi the best male players of the 20th century.

Who are the top 10 greatest volleyball players?

Our top 10 is Karch Kiraly, Regla Torres, Giba, Lang Ping, Lorenzo Bernardi, Mireya Luis, Sergey Tetyukhin, Serginho, Inna Ryskal and Zhu Ting.

Who is the best female volleyball player of all time?

Regla Torres of Cuba, who won three Olympic golds and was named the FIVB Best Player of the 20th Century. Lang Ping and Mireya Luis are the usual alternatives.

Which volleyball players have won the most Olympic medals?

Among men, Sergey Tetyukhin, Samuele Papi and Serginho have four medals each. Tetyukhin’s set includes gold, silver and two bronzes, and Serginho’s two golds and two silvers.

Who has won Olympic gold in both indoor and beach volleyball?

Only Karch Kiraly: indoor gold with the United States in 1984 and 1988 and beach gold with Kent Steffes in 1996.

Who is the best volleyball player in the world right now?

Among men, Earvin N’Gapeth and Wilfredo León are the most common answers as of 2026. N’Gapeth has won two Olympic golds with France. Among women, Paola Egonu won Olympic gold with Italy in 2024 and the world title in 2025.