Bulgaria volleyball player Alex Nikolov posted on social media after the national team's exit from EuroVolley 2026, combining gratitude with a pledge to come back stronger. The Lions lost to Germany in the round of 16, falling 2-3 in sets.
A dream fulfilled on home soil
In his post, reported by Gong, Nikolov opened with thanks to Bulgarian fans and described playing in front of a packed home crowd as a lifelong dream. He also recalled a memory from 2015, when he sat in the same Sofia arena as a spectator, a young boy cheering for his father. Eleven years later, he was on the court in the national jersey.
He wrote that watching those matches as a child lit a fire and passion he still carries. He expressed hope that fans watching Bulgaria's games at this tournament felt even half of what he felt back then, calling that shared emotion his greatest victory regardless of the scoreboard.
The promise drawing attention at home and abroad
The line circulating most widely, in Bulgaria and in Bulgarian communities from London to Toronto, is the one Nikolov saved for last: the Lions will return, and not just return but return much stronger.
