Italian opposite Yuri Romanò had yet to play a SuperLega match when he became a European champion at 24, after working his way through Serie B and four seasons in Italy’s second division. That unusually gradual route took him from Volley Bollate and Diavoli Rosa Brugherio to PGE Projekt Warszawa, while at international level he developed into the starting opposite of the Italy men’s national volleyball team.
Romanò’s breakthrough at EuroVolley 2021 was immediate: in the five-set final against Slovenia, he came from the bench and produced 11 points, including nine successful attacks from ten attempts. He went on to start for Italy’s 2022 world champions, defended the world title in 2025, and was named Best Opposite after a tournament that ended with a 22-point performance in the final against Bulgaria.
Player Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Yuri Romanò |
| Date of Birth | July 26, 1997 |
| Age | 29 (as of October 2026) |
| Place of Birth | Monza, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Position | Opposite |
| Height | 203 cm |
| Weight | 89 kg |
| Spike Reach | 354 cm |
| Block Reach | 349 cm |
| Dominant Hand | Left |
| Youth Club | Volley Bollate |
| Previous Clubs | Diavoli Rosa Brugherio; GoldenPlast Potenza Picena; Olimpia Bergamo; Emma Villas Siena; Allianz Milano; Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza; Fakel Novy Urengoy |
| Current Club | PGE Projekt Warszawa |
| Club Number | 16 |
| National Team | Italy Men’s National Volleyball Team |
| National-Team Number | 16 |
| Studies | Marketing, University of Milano-Bicocca |
| Career Status | Active |
| @yuriromano17 |
The current Polish league registration lists Romanò at 203 cm and 89 kg, with a 354 cm spike reach and number 16 for PGE Projekt Warszawa. His block reach of 349 cm is listed by CEV, while his left-handedness is documented in Italian league-era records. Primary sources have used several different height figures over his international career, ranging from 200 to 205 cm; the current domestic-league registration lists him at 203 cm.
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Football First and a Late Switch to Volleyball
Romanò grew up around Monza with football, rather than volleyball, as his first sporting ambition. He spent roughly eight years playing as a left-back and continued until his mid-teens. Volleyball was already present in his family: his mother had played the sport and his sister was also involved. As Romanò grew taller and became less convinced that football offered him a serious competitive future, their influence helped move him toward the volleyball court.
The switch came relatively late by elite-volleyball standards. Romanò has recalled beginning volleyball seriously around age 15 or 16, during high school. His first season was spent as a middle blocker in Volley Bollate’s youth program before he moved to the opposite position that would define his senior career.
That late start helps explain why his development did not follow the familiar route from a major academy directly into the top division. Romanò instead progressed category by category. He joined Volley Bollate’s senior side in Serie B2 in 2014–15, then spent two seasons with Diavoli Rosa Brugherio in B1 and Serie B. Piacenza’s official career record later traced the same pathway before his move into Serie A2.
Developing Through Serie A2
Romanò reached Serie A2 with GoldenPlast Potenza Picena in 2017–18. He moved to Olimpia Bergamo for the following season and became a regular starting opposite, reaching both the A2 Coppa Italia final and the promotion playoff final.
His performance at Bergamo earned him the Premio Badiali as the best Italian Under-23 player in Serie A2. He then joined Emma Villas Siena in 2019 and retained the award the following season, giving him consecutive Under-23 honors in Italy’s second tier.
The Siena years were particularly important because Romanò became accustomed to carrying a large attacking load. When Allianz Milano signed him in 2021, the club noted that he had scored 511 points in 22 matches during his final A2 campaign and had been recognized as the division’s leading opposite.
His development away from the top division also coincided with university study. During his Bergamo-to-Siena transition in 2019, Romanò was studying Marketing at the University of Milano-Bicocca.
Club Career
Serie B and the Long Road Through A2
Romanò’s first senior seasons were built in divisions where young players could receive repeated attacking responsibility rather than wait behind established internationals.
He debuted with Volley Bollate in Serie B2 in 2014–15 and then played for Diavoli Rosa Brugherio across B1 and Serie B. Those seasons were followed by four consecutive years in A2 with Potenza Picena, Bergamo and Siena.
The progression was steady rather than sudden. At Bergamo he became one of the division’s prominent young scorers; at Siena he developed into a primary offensive option. By his final A2 season, he was producing the kind of point totals expected from a starting opposite while still waiting for his first opportunity in SuperLega.
That delay later became one of the defining features of his career. The senior national team trusted him before an Italian top-flight club had given him a full season at that level.
Allianz Milano (2021–22): First SuperLega Season
Allianz Milano signed Romanò for 2021–22 as part of an opposite rotation headed by French international Jean Patry.
The move represented his first season in SuperLega. When the signing was announced in July 2021, Romanò had only recently turned 24 and was simultaneously training with Ferdinando De Giorgi’s senior Italy group ahead of the European Championship.
That timing produced an unusual sequence. Romanò entered the national-team summer without a single SuperLega appearance, became European champion in September, and only afterward began his first season in Italy’s highest domestic division.
Milano gave him the opportunity to adjust to faster serving, larger blocks and the more specialized tactical demands of elite professional volleyball. The season was brief as a club phase, but it bridged the gap between his long A2 development and the role he would soon assume at Piacenza.
Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza (2022–2025)
After one season in Milan, Romanò signed with Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza in June 2022. The club described him as a 203 cm left-handed opposite whose offensive potential and ability to attack a fast ball fit its plans for the position.
He arrived in Piacenza immediately after establishing himself as Italy’s starting opposite during the 2022 international season. By the time the club formally presented him that September, he had also become a world champion.
The first season delivered his principal club trophy in Italy. Piacenza eliminated previously unbeaten Perugia 3–0 in the 2023 Coppa Italia semifinal and then defeated Itas Trentino by the same score in the final in Rome. Romanò was part of a roster that won the first SuperLega Coppa Italia in the club’s history.
Romanò remained in Piacenza for three seasons, becoming one of its main scorers rather than a short-term national-team addition. The historical statistics maintained by Lega Pallavolo Serie A credit him with 1,317 points in 102 matches, the highest points total in the club’s recorded player table.
His three-year spell covered domestic playoffs, the Champions League and other European competition as well as the Coppa Italia title. It was also the period in which his club role and national-team role became closely aligned: in both settings he was expected to absorb a substantial volume of right-side attacks and provide point-scoring pressure from the service line.
Fakel Novy Urengoy (2025–26): First Season Abroad
Romanò left Italian club volleyball in 2025 for Fakel Novy Urengoy, his first professional season outside Italy.
The move came immediately after his second World Championship title and Best Opposite award. Instead of remaining in SuperLega, he entered the Russian Super League and a very different competitive environment, including the travel and climate associated with Fakel’s base in Novy Urengoy.
The season gave Romanò a larger leadership and scoring role. Fakel’s farewell to him in May 2026 highlighted his offensive production during the campaign, while later interviews described the experience as an important test of adapting to a more physically oriented league and to life abroad with his family.
It was also a useful extension of his technical experience. Until then, nearly all of his senior club career had been spent inside the Italian system. Russia exposed him to different blocking structures, serving patterns and match rhythms before another move abroad followed.
PGE Projekt Warszawa (2026–Present)
Romanò moved to Poland for the 2026–27 season, joining PGE Projekt Warszawa after completing his year with Fakel and Italy’s 2026 international campaign.
The transfer placed him in another of Europe’s strongest domestic leagues. Projekt brought him in as its principal opposite, and the official Polish league registration lists him in number 16.
For Romanò, Warsaw represents a second consecutive season outside Italy after spending almost his entire developmental and professional pathway at home. In a September 2026 interview, he described the sequence from A2 to Milan, three years in Piacenza, Russia and then Poland as part of a career that had accelerated dramatically after EuroVolley 2021.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2012–2015 | Volley Bollate | Italy |
| 2015–2017 | Diavoli Rosa Brugherio | Italy |
| 2017–2018 | GoldenPlast Potenza Picena | Italy |
| 2018–2019 | Olimpia Bergamo | Italy |
| 2019–2021 | Emma Villas Siena | Italy |
| 2021–2022 | Allianz Milano | Italy |
| 2022–2025 | Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza | Italy |
| 2025–2026 | Fakel Novy Urengoy | Russia |
| 2026–present | PGE Projekt Warszawa | Poland |
National Team Career
Youth National Team and 2019 Universiade
Before his senior breakthrough, Romanò represented Italy in age-group volleyball. His pathway included the 2016 European U20 Championship and the 2017 U21 World Championship.
He then entered Italy’s broader senior setup in 2019 while still playing in Serie A2. That summer he was part of the Italian team that won gold at the Universiade in Naples, his first major international title at senior-development level. Piacenza’s official biography lists the 2019 Universiade among his honors.
A place around the national program did not immediately turn into a stable senior role. Romanò continued playing A2 for another two seasons before Ferdinando De Giorgi’s appointment as Italy head coach created the opportunity that changed his career.
EuroVolley 2021: The Breakthrough
FIPAV records Romanò’s senior Italy debut on August 25, 2021, in a 3–0 friendly victory over Belgium in Mantua. Less than a month later, he was a European champion.
Italy entered EuroVolley with a young group after the Tokyo Olympics. Romanò had signed for Milano but had not yet played a SuperLega match, making his inclusion particularly notable.
His role grew during the tournament and culminated in the final against Slovenia on September 19. Romanò did not start, but when called from the bench he gave Italy a decisive scoring option on the right side.
The official CEV final sheet records 11 points from Romanò, including nine successful attacks on ten swings—90% attacking efficiency—plus two aces. Italy won 3–2 to take its seventh men’s European title.
That match changed the scale of his career. Within weeks, a player who had spent the previous season in A2 was a European champion preparing for his first SuperLega season.
World Champion in 2022
By the 2022 World Championship, Romanò was no longer primarily a substitute. He had become Italy’s starting opposite.
His importance was especially clear in the knockout stage. Against Olympic champion France in the quarterfinal, Romanò led the match with 22 points: 17 kills, one block and four aces. Italy survived the five-set match and advanced.
He added 12 points in Italy’s straight-set semifinal victory over Slovenia, including ten kills, one block and one ace.
The final brought Italy back against host Poland in Katowice. After losing the opening set, Italy won the next three to claim its first men’s world title since 1998. Romanò scored 13 points, all from attack, behind Daniele Lavia and Alessandro Michieletto in Italy’s scoring distribution.
The title confirmed that the 2021 European run had not been a one-off transition tournament. Romanò had moved from a late-arriving senior international to the starting opposite of a world championship team in little more than a year.
EuroVolley 2023 and Paris 2024
Romanò remained a central scorer for Italy at EuroVolley 2023.
Before the final, CEV listed him as Italy’s tournament-leading scorer with 115 points. His semifinal against France was particularly productive: he scored 15 points, including 14 kills, as Italy won in straight sets in Rome.
The final produced a different result. Poland defeated Italy 3–0, leaving the defending champions with the silver medal.
Romanò then made his Olympic debut at Paris 2024. Italy reached the semifinals before eventually finishing fourth after losing the bronze-medal match to the United States. FIPAV includes Paris 2024 in his official Olympic participation record.
The Olympic result was one of the few major tournaments of that cycle in which Italy’s deep run did not end with a medal.
VNL Silver and a Second World Title in 2025
Italy reached its first men’s Volleyball Nations League final in 2025 and finished second to Poland.
Romanò was part of the roster throughout the campaign and appeared in the final, adding another senior international medal before the World Championship later that summer.
The World Championship in the Philippines became the strongest individual tournament of his senior career.
Italy advanced through the knockout stage and faced Poland in the semifinal. Romanò scored a match-high 15 points as the defending champions won 3–0 to return to the final.
Against Bulgaria, he delivered his defining performance of the tournament. Romanò led Italy with 22 points—16 kills, one block and five aces in a 3–1 victory. His serving was particularly damaging during Italy’s second-set run.
Italy therefore became back-to-back world champions, while Romanò completed the tournament with 15 aces and was selected as Best Opposite in the official Dream Team.
The award carried particular significance given his career path. Four years earlier he had entered EuroVolley without top-division club experience; by 2025 he was the recognized Best Opposite at a World Championship.
Italy in 2026
Romanò remained part of Italy’s senior team in 2026.
During the Volleyball Nations League he appeared in five matches and scored 60 points: 54 in attack, three from blocks and three from serve. Volleyball World’s competition data gives him a 60% attacking efficiency across those appearances, with 17 points against Cuba and 16 against the United States among his highest totals.
Italy then entered the home stages of EuroVolley 2026 with Romanò again among its principal attackers. The tournament ended unexpectedly in the quarterfinals, where Finland defeated Italy 3–2 in Turin on September 23.
After the tournament, Romanò publicly described the campaign as another summer with the national team and pointed toward returning for the following international season, supporting his continued active status with Italy rather than treating EuroVolley as an endpoint.
Playing Style & Strengths
Romanò is a left-handed opposite whose game is built around high-volume right-side attacking and aggressive serving.
Unlike an outside hitter, he is normally removed from the primary serve-reception structure. That allows him to stay available as a front-row attacker from position two and as a back-row option from position one, particularly when Italy or his club needs a high ball after a broken first contact.
Left-Handed Opposite Attacking
Left-handedness is naturally useful on the right side because Romanò can approach with his hitting shoulder farther from the antenna while keeping the ball in front of his attacking arm.
His club coaches have also highlighted his ability to attack a relatively fast ball. When Piacenza signed him in 2022, Lorenzo Bernardi specifically identified his offensive potential and the speed of the set he could play as useful additions to the team’s attacking options.
Romanò’s international performances show that he can handle both efficiency-focused and volume-heavy roles.
The 2021 European final is the clearest early example of efficiency: nine kills from ten attempts while entering from the bench. At the other end of the spectrum, his 22-point performance against France in the 2022 World Championship quarterfinal showed his ability to carry repeated high-pressure attacks over five sets.
His current physical profile also supports that role. PGE Projekt’s league registration lists a 354 cm spike reach, giving him the contact height required to attack over or around organized blocks.
Serve as a Scoring Weapon
Serving is one of the strongest distinguishing parts of Romanò’s game.
He can create direct points rather than merely target a receiver to disrupt the opponent’s offense. That ability was visible before he reached international prominence: during a 2019 A2 match for Siena, he produced seven aces in three sets.
At elite international level, the same weapon has remained important. Romanò delivered four aces in the 2022 World Championship quarterfinal against France and five in the 2025 final against Bulgaria. He finished the latter tournament with 15 aces, one of the numbers highlighted when FIVB selected him as Best Opposite.
The serve matters beyond the ace count. A difficult first contact can prevent the opposing setter from running the middle and make Italy’s block-defense system easier to organize on the next touch.
High-Ball Responsibility and Transition Scoring
A starting opposite is often asked to take the least comfortable attacking situations: high balls after poor reception, out-of-system swings and transition opportunities when the setter has few other realistic choices.
Romanò’s career progression prepared him for that responsibility. His A2 seasons gave him repeated high-volume attacking experience, and by the 2023 European Championship he was Italy’s leading scorer heading into the final.
The same pattern carried into club volleyball. Across three seasons in Piacenza, Lega Pallavolo’s historical database credits him with 1,317 points, making him the highest-scoring player in the club’s recorded table.
That does not mean every version of Romanò’s game is based on maximum volume. Italy has increasingly had multiple high-level scoring options on court at the same time. His role can therefore change from primary bail-out attacker to a more selective right-side threat depending on the rotation, opponent and presence of players such as Alessandro Michieletto and Mattia Bottolo.
Pressure Matches and Role Flexibility
Romanò’s international career contains an unusual transition from impact substitute to established starter.
In the 2021 European final he was the substitute who changed Italy’s right-side production. One year later he was the starting opposite through the World Championship knockout rounds. By 2025, he was producing the highest point total for Italy in a World Championship final.
That sequence matters when evaluating his playing profile. He has shown that he can enter without rhythm and attack efficiently, but also that he can absorb the full scoring responsibility associated with a starting opposite across an entire tournament.
The 2025 Best Opposite award is the strongest formal recognition of that development. It reflected not only one final but a championship in which his attacking and serving were important throughout Italy’s title defense.
Major Achievements
Romanò’s career honors are weighted heavily toward the national team, reflecting how quickly his international career accelerated once he entered Ferdinando De Giorgi’s senior group.
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Summer Universiade | Gold medal |
| 2021 | CEV European Championship | Gold medal |
| 2022 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Gold medal |
| 2023 | CEV European Championship | Silver medal |
| 2025 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver medal |
| 2025 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Gold medal |
FIPAV’s player record confirms his senior sequence of European gold, two World Championship titles, EuroVolley silver and VNL silver.
Selected Club Honors
| Season | Competition | Result | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Del Monte Coppa Italia SuperLega | Winner | Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza |
Piacenza won the 2023 Coppa Italia by defeating Perugia 3–0 in the semifinal and Itas Trentino 3–0 in the final.
Selected Individual Awards
| Year | Competition | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Serie A2 | Premio Badiali — Best Italian Under-23 |
| 2020 | Serie A2 | Premio Badiali — Best Italian Under-23 |
| 2025 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Best Opposite |
The first two awards marked Romanò as an emerging A2 player well before his senior international breakthrough; the 2025 World Championship honor confirmed his progression at the highest international level.
Personal Life & Family
Romanò is married to Marta Ciotti, and the couple have a daughter, Bianca.
Marta and Bianca accompanied him during his 2025–26 season in Russia, turning his first club experience abroad into a family move rather than a season lived separately. By September 2026, Romanò described the year in Siberia as something the family had adapted to together before preparing for another relocation, this time to Warsaw.
Romanò and Marta had a civil wedding in May 2025 and later celebrated a religious ceremony in August 2026. Their daughter Bianca was two years old by the time Romanò prepared for EuroVolley 2026.
His family is also closely connected to the beginning of his volleyball story. His mother had played volleyball, and his sister was already playing when Romanò was deciding whether to continue with football. Their encouragement helped move him into the sport during his teenage years.
Football nevertheless remains one of his main interests away from the court. Romanò is an Inter supporter, while Formula 1 and Ferrari have also remained part of his sporting interests outside volleyball.
A more personal connection to his career comes through his late grandfather, whom Romanò has described as one of his strongest supporters. He has continued to wear a chain associated with his grandfather during matches, keeping that family connection with him on court.
Gear & Equipment
Romanò has a documented athlete relationship with Mizuno.
After Italy’s 2022 World Championship victory, Romanò was one of four Italian world champions used as Mizuno testimonials in the 2023 Reach Beyond volleyball-footwear campaign, alongside Gianluca Galassi, Francesco Recine and Leonardo Scanferla. The campaign included dedicated video, photography and shoe-focused promotional material.
His current public social profile also continues to identify him as a Mizuno athlete, and PGE Projekt Warszawa tagged both Romanò and Mizuno in his October 2026 club-season content.
A specific 2026–27 match shoe is not publicly established.
Where Is Yuri Romanò Playing Now?
As of October 2026, Yuri Romanò plays for PGE Projekt Warszawa in Poland.
His official 2026–27 league registration lists him as the club’s opposite, wearing number 16, with his registration beginning on September 10, 2026.
The move followed one season with Fakel Novy Urengoy in Russia and represents Romanò’s first experience in Polish league volleyball. It also continues the international club phase of a career that was based entirely in Italy until 2025.
At national-team level, he remains an active member of the Italy Men’s National Volleyball Team. He wore number 16 during the 2026 VNL and remained one of Italy’s principal opposites at EuroVolley 2026.
Recent Performance Snapshot — October 2026
Romanò’s first Polish league match came on October 16, 2026, when PGE Projekt Warszawa opened its regular season with a 3–1 home victory over Energa Indykpol AZS Olsztyn.
The official league database credits Romanò with seven points in his first appearance, including six successful attacks and one ace. The result gave Projekt a winning start while Romanò began integrating into a roster that also includes established Polish and international players.
That match followed a demanding international summer. Romanò had scored 60 points in five VNL appearances before playing EuroVolley, where Italy’s season ended in the September 23 quarterfinal against Finland.
The current phase of his career therefore combines two changes at once: a second consecutive season outside Italy and his first year in the Polish league, while retaining an established role with the national team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Yuri Romanò?
Yuri Romanò was born on July 26, 1997, in Monza, Italy. He is 29 years old as of October 2026.
How tall is Yuri Romanò?
Romanò is listed at 203 cm by his current Polish league profile. Other governing-body profiles have used different values, including 201 cm at Volleyball World and 205 cm in a 2025 FIPAV record.
What position does Yuri Romanò play?
Romanò is a left-handed opposite. His role centers on right-side and back-row attacking, serving and carrying a large share of the team’s out-of-system offense.
Which club does Yuri Romanò play for?
As of the 2026–27 season, Romanò plays for PGE Projekt Warszawa in Poland. He joined the club after spending 2025–26 with Fakel Novy Urengoy in Russia.
What number does Yuri Romanò wear?
Romanò currently wears number 16 for PGE Projekt Warszawa and has also worn number 16 for Italy in major international competitions, including the 2025 World Championship and 2026 VNL.
When did Yuri Romanò make his Italy debut?
FIPAV records his senior national-team debut on August 25, 2021, when Italy defeated Belgium 3–0 in a friendly in Mantua.
How many World Championships has Yuri Romanò won?
Romanò has won two FIVB Men’s World Championships with Italy, in 2022 and 2025. Italy defeated Poland in the 2022 final and Bulgaria in the 2025 final.
Was Yuri Romanò Best Opposite at the World Championship?
Yes. Romanò was named Best Opposite in the official Dream Team of the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship after helping Italy retain the title.
Did Yuri Romanò play at the Olympics?
Yes. Romanò represented Italy at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the men’s team reached the bronze-medal match and finished fourth.
Is Yuri Romanò married?
Yes. Romanò is married to Marta Ciotti. The couple also have a daughter, Bianca.
What is Yuri Romanò’s Instagram?
His official public Instagram account is @yuriromano17. The account has been repeatedly identified in volleyball coverage and is also tagged by his current club.
References
- Polish Volleyball League — Yuri Romanò 2026–27 player profile
- Volleyball World — Yuri Romanò VNL 2026 profile and statistics
- FIPAV — Italy’s 2025 World Championship final and player records
- FIVB — Italy defeats Bulgaria to retain the 2025 World Championship
- FIVB — 2025 World Championship Dream Team
- FIPAV — Italy’s 2025 World Championship title review
- CEV — 2021 EuroVolley final official match statistics
- Volleyball World — Italy’s 2022 World Championship semifinal against Slovenia
- Volleyball World — Italy’s 2022 World Championship quarterfinal against France
- Volleyball World — Italy regains the world title in 2022
- CEV — EuroVolley 2023 final preview and Romanò scoring data
- CEV — Italy reaches the 2023 EuroVolley final
- CEV — Poland defeats Italy in the 2023 EuroVolley final
- FIPAV — Italy wins silver at the 2025 VNL
- FIPAV — Italy vs Finland, EuroVolley 2026 quarterfinal
- Lega Pallavolo Serie A — Romanò signs with Piacenza and full early career chronology
- Lega Pallavolo Serie A — Piacenza historical player statistics
- FIPAV — Piacenza wins the 2023 Coppa Italia
- Corriere dello Sport — Romanò joins Milano after his A2 development
- Corriere dello Sport — Romanò joins Siena, football background and university studies
- La Gazzetta dello Sport — Yuri Romanò interview, September 2026
- iVolley Magazine — Fakel Novy Urengoy farewell to Romanò
- Volley News — Romanò and Marta Ciotti’s 2026 wedding
- OnSports — Mizuno Reach Beyond campaign featuring Romanò
- CEV — Yuri Romanò player profile and reach data