Under coach Julio Velasco, Argentina finished 11th at the World League in 2015 and climbed up a notch in 2016. But more importantly their national team programme got a huge boost last year with a fifth place finish at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Their best ever finish in the FIVB World League remains a fourth place from 2011, when they lost to hosts Poland in straight sets in the bronze medal match.
Argentina have also ranked fifth in 2009 and 2010. Last year they scored three wins and suffered six defeats in pool play to rank ninth overall in Group 1. With his team ranked No. 6 in the FIVB World Ranking, Velasco is targeting new highs to add to his resume after a glittering coaching career largely spent overseas.
The Argentina team made their international debut at the South American Championship in Rio de Janeiro in 1951, claiming fourth place. They competed in their first World Championship in 1960 in the same city, where they finished 11th. Since then they have competed in 10 World Championships, with a bronze medal-winning campaign on home territory in 1982 being their best effort to date. Argentina also took the bronze medal at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, their highest finish in seven appearances at the Olympics.