Andrea Giani (born 22 April 1970) is an Italian professional

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

coach and former player who scored numerous successes in the 1990s, including three

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

with his national team. He is considered one of the best volleyball players ever. He was an all-rounder able to play both as outside hitter and as middle blocker, but he played several times as opposite too.

Career

Giani’s father, Dario, was a rower who took part in the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this ho ...

for Italy. After having trained with the father, now a rowing coach, Andrea tried for brief period as a football player, in 1985 the 14-year-old Giani began his career as a volleyball player in the local team of

Sabaudia Sabaudia is a coastal town in the province of Latina, Lazio, in central Italy. Sabaudia's centre is characterised by several examples of Fascist architecture. Villa Volpi, a neoclassical seaside villa built for Countess Nathalie Volpi of Misurata ...

, in the Southern

Latium Latium ( , ; ) is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Definition Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil (Old Latium) on whi ...

, where he lived. Soon news about his qualities spread and attracted attention from the two main volleyball club of Italy of the period: Panini Modena and Santal/Maxicono Parma. Giani was chosen to play for the latter, initially with the junior team under

Gian Paolo Montali Gian Paolo Montali (born January 18, 1960 in Traversetolo, province of Parma) is an Italian volleyball coach who has won two Volleyball European Championships with Italian national team. Montali began his career as volleyball coach for the juni ...

as coach. Giani’s first final for

scudetto The ''scudetto'' (Italian language, Italian for: "little shield") is a decoration having the colors of the flag of Italy which is sewn onto the jersey of the Italian sports clubs that won the highest level championship of their respective sport in ...

in the

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...

major team was in 1987. Parma was defeated, as well as in the following seasons. Giani won in 1990 his first scudetto, it was to be followed by four more. In the meantime, in 1988, Giani had scored against

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

his first cap for the

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, his career with the ''Azzurri'' colours ended in 2005 after a total of 474 caps (record), becoming one of the most renowned players in Italy and in the world for his excellent technical and jumping capabilities. With Italy Giani won three

World Championship A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

titles in a row (1990, 1994 and 1998) and four European Championship (1993, 1995, 1999, 2003) and many others. He won three medals at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

but his team never won the gold medal, even though Italy was generally considered the top favourites. He won silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games and

2004 Olympic Games The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

, and a bronze medal at the

2000 Olympic Games The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

and make Golden time with team other members. During his career Giani became renowned for his polyvalence, starting as a middle blocker, he turned into a power attacker and passer. Giani before Modena, played in Parma 1985-1996 and winner three Italian Championship Serie A and Club World Championship. After having quit the national team, Giani played for Cimone Modena until 2008 and winner two

CEV Champions League The CEV Champions League is the top official competition for men's volleyball clubs from the whole of Europe. The competition is organised every year by the European Volleyball Confederation. Formula (2018–19 to present) Qualification A tot ...

. He taking the reins of the team as manager starting from season 2007–2008. His nickname is ''Giangio'' and at the season winner

CEV Challenge Cup The CEV Challenge Cup is the third tier official competition for men's volleyball clubs from the whole of Europe. It started in the 1980–81 season under the name CEV Cup. In 2007 it was renamed CEV Challenge Cup. History * CEV Cup (1980� ...

2008. Giani at 2009-2010 year won Championship Serie A2 with M. Roma Volley. Giani became the manager of the

Slovenia men's national volleyball team The Slovenia national men's volleyball team represents Slovenia in international volleyball competitions and friendly matches, and is governed by the Volleyball Federation of Slovenia. Slovenia was the runner-up of the European Volleyball Cham ...

in May 2015. Few months later he led Slovenia to victory in the

European Volleyball League European Volleyball League may refer to * Men's European Volleyball League The Men's European Volleyball League is a continental volleyball competition senior men's national volleyball teams of Europe, organized by the European Volleyball Confeder ...

, which secured them a spot at the 2016 FIVB Volleyball World League. In October Slovenia unexpectedly won their first medal on a major volleyball tournament, after reaching the Final of the 2015 Men's European Volleyball Championship where they were defeated by

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. In 2017, Giani replaced

Vital Heynen Vital Heynen (born 12 June 1969) is a Belgian professional volleyball coach and former player. He currently serves as head coach for the Germany women's national team and Nilüfer Belediyespor. Career as coach Heynen started out his career as ...

as head coach of the

Germany men's national volleyball team The Germany men's national volleyball team represents Germany in international volleyball competitions. It is governed by the German Volleyball Association. Germany won the gold medal at the 1970 World Championship as East Germany and the bronze ...

.Giani reaches agreement with German federation
/ref>

Honours

As a player

* CEV European Champions Cup ** Gold medal europe

1996/1997 – with

Modena Volley Modena Volley is a professional volleyball team based in Modena, Italy. It has played in the highest level of the Italian Volleyball League without interruption since 1968. It is the most successful Italian club, having won the national league tw ...

1997/1998 – with

* FIVB Club World Championship ** Gold medal world centered-2

Parma 1989 – with Maxicono Parma *

CEV Cup The CEV Cup is the second tier official competition for men's Volleyball clubs of Europe. The competition takes place every year. Until 2000, it was the CEV Cup Winners' Cup. In 2000 it was renamed CEV Top Teams Cup and in 2007 it was renamed CE ...

1987/1988 – with Maxicono Parma ** Simple gold cup

1988/1989 – with Maxicono Parma ** Simple gold cup

1989/1990 – with Maxicono Parma *

1991/1992 – with Maxicono Parma ** Simple gold cup

1994/1995 – with Maxicono Parma ** Simple gold cup

2003/2004 – with

* National championships ** 1989/1990 Simple gold cup

Italian Cup, with Maxicono Parma ** 1989/1990 Gold medal with cup

Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma ** 1991/1992 Simple gold cup

Italian Cup, with Maxicono Parma ** 1991/1992 Gold medal with cup

Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma ** 1992/1993 Gold medal with cup

Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma ** 1996/1997 Simple gold cup

Italian Cup, with

** 1996/1997 Gold medal with cup

Italian Championship, with

** 1997/1998 Simple gold cup

Italian SuperCup, with

** 1997/1998 Simple gold cup

Italian Cup, with

** 2001/2002 Gold medal with cup

Italian Championship, with

As a coach

2007/2008 – with Cimone Modena ** Simple gold cup

2015/2016 – with Calzedonia Verona

Individual awards

* 1994:

FIVB World League The FIVB Volleyball World League was an annual international men's volleyball competition. Created in 1990, it was the longest and richest of all the international events organized by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). The wom ...

– Most Valuable Player * 1995: FIVB World Cup – Most Valuable Player * 1998:

– Best Blocker

State awards

* 2000:

Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking ...

* 2004:

Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic