Nicolás Zerba (born 13 June 1999) is an Argentine professional volleyball player who plays as a middle blocker. Born in Buenos Aires and developed through Huracán de San Justo and Universidad Nacional de La Matanza, he entered Argentina’s top club level as a teenager and won the national championship with UPCN Vóley Club in 2018. Official listings place him at approximately 203–204 cm.
Zerba has represented Argentina across multiple generations of the national-team program, from South American youth championships and the 2018 South American Games to the senior World Cup, World Championships and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. His most important continental result came in 2023, when Argentina ended Brazil’s long dominance of the South American Championship and Zerba was selected as one of the tournament’s two best middle blockers.
Player Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nicolás Zerba |
| Date of Birth | 13 June 1999 |
| Place of Birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Position | Middle Blocker |
| Height | 204 cm |
| Weight | 95 kg |
| Spike Reach | 345 cm |
| Block Reach | 330 cm |
| Current Club | Berlin Recycling Volleys |
| Club Number | 37 |
| Previous Clubs | UPCN Vóley Club, Narbonne Volley, PSG Stal Nysa, Arago de Sète |
| National Team | Argentina Men’s National Volleyball Team |
| Senior International Involvement | 2018–present |
| National-Team Number | 22 |
| Olympic Appearances | Paris 2024 |
| Career Status | Active |
| @nicozerba |
Current club sources list Zerba at 204 cm, while Volleyball World uses 203 cm. Secondary career databases list him at approximately 95 kg with a 345 cm spike reach and 330 cm block reach. His official Argentine Olympic Committee profile identifies nicozerba as his Instagram account.
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Zerba began playing volleyball at Huracán de San Justo before continuing his development with Universidad Nacional de La Matanza. His progression was rapid enough that he was already combining youth volleyball with high-level national competition before turning 19. UNLaM described him in 2018 as a 203 cm middle blocker who had come through its youth system after beginning at Huracán.
International recognition arrived early. Zerba helped Argentina win the 2016 South American U19 Championship in Lima and was named the tournament’s best blocker. Two years later he was part of the Argentina U21 team that finished runner-up at the South American Championship. Those age-group results established him as one of the country’s stronger young middle-blocking prospects.
His development also crossed into senior-level international events unusually early. Zerba participated in Argentina’s gold-medal campaign at the 2018 South American Games in Cochabamba and was part of the squad that won the 2018 Pan American Cup. In 2019, he was selected for Argentina’s FIVB World Cup squad in Japan and for the South American Championship team that finished second.
Club Career
UPCN Vóley Club
Zerba joined UPCN Vóley Club for the 2017–18 season while still only 18. The move placed him inside one of the dominant teams in Argentine volleyball and gave him immediate exposure to veteran players, championship expectations and international club competition.
His first season ended with the Argentine league title. UPCN defeated Personal Bolívar in the final to secure its seventh championship, and Zerba was among the players celebrating their first league title with the club.
He remained with UPCN through 2019–20. The period included the 2019 Argentine Cup and further South American club competition, giving him three seasons in a winning domestic environment before his first move abroad.
The transition from youth prospect to professional middle blocker happened largely during those UPCN years. At club level he learned to work inside a faster first-tempo offense and against physically stronger attackers, while his international schedule increasingly exposed him to different setter tendencies and blocking systems.
Narbonne Volley
In 2020, Zerba moved to France to join Narbonne Volley.
The transfer was his first full professional experience outside Argentina. Narbonne competed in France’s top division, giving Zerba a larger weekly workload against experienced European and international attackers. He spent two seasons with the club.
The defining achievement came in the 2021–22 CEV Challenge Cup. Narbonne advanced through a demanding knockout campaign and met Halkbank Ankara in the final. After losing the first leg in Türkiye, the French club won the return match 3–1 at Narbonne Arena and then took a dramatic Golden Set 21–19 to secure the trophy. Zerba was part of the Narbonne squad throughout the European run.
The Challenge Cup became Zerba’s first European title and one of the most significant club achievements of his career.
Three Seasons with PSG Stal Nysa
Zerba moved to Poland in 2022, signing with PSG Stal Nysa.
He remained in PlusLiga for three seasons, from 2022–23 through 2024–25. Berlin later highlighted that three-year Polish spell when announcing him, an indication of how important it was in building his experience before his move to the German Bundesliga.
PlusLiga presented a different challenge from France. The league’s serving pressure and physical middle play required Zerba to read faster offenses while also coping with a high frequency of powerful jump serves that could reduce opportunities for first-tempo attack.
His individual job remained highly specialized: close blocks quickly, make himself available in transition, create a credible central attacking threat and contribute enough from the service line to prevent opponents from playing permanently in-system.
Stal Nysa did not produce a major team trophy during his tenure, but the three-year stretch gave Zerba regular high-level competition and helped establish him as a more experienced international middle blocker.
Arago de Sète
For 2025–26, Zerba returned to France with Arago de Sète.
The club listed him at 204 cm and used him as one of its central options during the French Ligue A season. The move returned Zerba to a championship he already knew from his Narbonne years while giving him another full season of European first-division volleyball.
That season also preceded a notable change in his international profile. By 2026 he was carrying a substantial blocking role for Argentina, and his VNL performances helped lead directly into his next club move.
Berlin Recycling Volleys
Berlin Recycling Volleys announced Zerba as a new signing on 24 June 2026.
The move brought him to the German Bundesliga for the first time and gave him the opportunity to compete for a club with regular Champions League ambitions. Berlin signed him from Arago de Sète and assigned him No. 37.
The club’s official signing announcement included comments from Zerba about the appeal of playing Champions League volleyball and working under Andrea Anastasi. Anastasi highlighted Zerba’s blocking and his development of a hybrid serve as areas that could translate well to Berlin’s system.
Zerba entered the season competing for middle-blocking minutes alongside German internationals Florian Krage-Brewitz and Louis Kunstmann.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2017–2020 | UPCN Vóley Club | Argentina |
| 2020–2022 | Narbonne Volley | France |
| 2022–2025 | PSG Stal Nysa | Poland |
| 2025–2026 | Arago de Sète | France |
| 2026–present | Berlin Recycling Volleys | Germany |
The sequence is supported by contemporary club and league records, with Berlin’s signing announcement specifically confirming his move from Arago after three seasons at Stal Nysa.
National Team Career
From Youth Championships to Senior International Volleyball
Zerba’s international career developed through several Argentine age-group teams.
The 2016 South American U19 title was his first major international success. Argentina won the tournament and Zerba received the best-blocker award. He later finished second at the 2018 South American U21 Championship.
He was already appearing in senior-level events during 2018. Argentina won gold at the South American Games in Cochabamba, and Zerba also belonged to the group that won the Pan American Cup later that year.
His place in the senior pipeline became clearer in 2019. Zerba was selected for the South American Championship and then travelled to Japan for the FIVB World Cup, where Argentina finished fifth.
Growing Role from 2021
Zerba joined Argentina’s preparations for the 2021 Volleyball Nations League alongside established middle blockers Agustín Loser, Martín Ramos and Pablo Crer. Later that year he was part of the South American Championship squad that finished runner-up to Brazil.
He did not make Argentina’s Tokyo Olympic squad, but his role grew in the cycle that followed.
Zerba competed at the 2022 World Championship, where Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals. That tournament placed him inside a national-team group transitioning from the Tokyo bronze-medal generation toward Paris 2024.
2023 South American Champion and Best Middle Blocker
The 2023 South American Championship in Recife became the defining achievement of Zerba’s international career.
Argentina entered the decisive match against host Brazil needing to overcome a national team that had dominated the continental championship for decades. Argentina won 3–0, taking its first South American title since 1964 and its first in an edition contested by Brazil during that span.
Zerba’s contribution was recognized in the tournament’s individual awards. He was selected as one of the two middle blockers on the South American Championship Dream Team alongside Colombia’s Daniel Carabalí. Luciano Vicentín was named tournament MVP.
The result gave Zerba both a senior continental gold medal and his most important individual award at senior international level.
Paris 2024
Zerba made his Olympic debut at Paris 2024.
Wearing No. 22, he appeared in all three of Argentina’s pool matches against the United States, Japan and Germany. Volleyball World recorded 10 points across the tournament: nine from attack and one from serve.
Argentina was unable to advance from the preliminary round, but Olympic participation added another major event to Zerba’s international résumé after the World Championship and South American title.
2025 World Championship
Zerba remained in Argentina’s senior group in 2025.
He began national-team training early in the season and was later selected for the FIVB Men’s World Championship in the Philippines. Argentina won all three pool matches to finish first in its group before its run ended in the knockout stage.
The tournament reinforced his position among Argentina’s established middle-blocking options alongside players such as Agustín Loser and Joaquín Gallego.
2026 VNL and South American Championship
Zerba carried a significant role in Argentina’s 2026 Volleyball Nations League campaign.
Volleyball World recorded 69 points across 12 matches: 50 attack points, 18 blocks and one ace. His 18 blocking points were particularly relevant for a player whose primary tactical value comes at the net.
One of his strongest matches came against Brazil. Zerba scored 13 points, including three blocks and an ace, while converting his attacking opportunities at a perfect rate. The performance came only days before Berlin publicly announced his transfer.
He remained with Argentina for the September South American Championship in Rio de Janeiro. Argentina won its first four matches before facing Brazil for the continental title and the direct South American berth to Los Angeles 2028. Brazil won the deciding match 3–0, leaving Argentina with silver. Zerba scored seven points in the final.
Playing Style & Strengths
Zerba is a middle blocker whose game relies on quick first-tempo attacking, lateral blocking movement and reading the opposing setter. At roughly 203–204 cm, he has enough size for international middle play but does not depend on unusual height alone.
Blocking is his clearest defensive strength. His job begins before the opposing setter releases the ball: he must read the pass, identify whether the middle attack remains available and then choose between committing centrally or moving toward an antenna. His 18 block points in the 2026 VNL provide a recent statistical example of that part of his game.
Berlin head coach Andrea Anastasi specifically identified blocking as an established strength when the club signed Zerba. Anastasi also pointed to his developing hybrid serve, a variation that can allow a middle blocker to change trajectory and pace rather than relying on a single service pattern.
In attack, Zerba is most dangerous when reception keeps the setter close to the net. A fast first-tempo route through the middle forces the opposing blocker to stay committed centrally, which can create cleaner conditions for Argentina’s outside hitters and opposite even when Zerba does not receive the set.
His 2026 match against Brazil showed the value of that efficiency. He produced 13 points with perfect attacking conversion while also contributing three blocks and an ace. That combination—efficient first-tempo offense, net defense and service pressure—is the profile Argentina and Berlin expect from him.
Major Achievements
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | South American U19 Championship | Gold Medal |
| 2018 | South American U21 Championship | Silver Medal |
| 2018 | South American Games | Gold Medal |
| 2018 | Pan American Cup | Gold Medal |
| 2019 | South American Championship | Silver Medal |
| 2021 | South American Championship | Silver Medal |
| 2023 | South American Championship | Gold Medal |
| 2026 | South American Championship | Silver Medal |
The 2023 title was Argentina’s first South American men’s championship since 1964 and ended decades of Brazilian dominance in editions Brazil contested.
Selected Club Honors
| Year / Season | Competition | Result | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Argentine Volleyball League | Champion | UPCN Vóley Club |
| 2019 | Argentine Cup | Winner | UPCN Vóley Club |
| 2021–22 | CEV Challenge Cup | Winner | Narbonne Volley |
Narbonne’s Challenge Cup title was decided by a Golden Set against Halkbank Ankara after the French club won the second leg of the final 3–1.
Selected Individual Awards
| Year | Competition | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | South American U19 Championship | Best Blocker |
| 2023 | South American Championship | Best Middle Blocker / Dream Team |
His 2023 recognition came during Argentina’s title-winning campaign in Recife.
Where Is Nicolás Zerba Playing Now?
Nicolás Zerba plays for Berlin Recycling Volleys in the German Bundesliga for the 2026–27 season.
Berlin signed him from Arago de Sète in June 2026 after three seasons in Poland with Stal Nysa and one year back in France. He wears No. 37 for the German champions and joins a middle-blocking group that also includes Florian Krage-Brewitz and Louis Kunstmann. The move also gives Zerba the opportunity to compete in the CEV Champions League, something he identified as an important attraction when discussing the transfer.
He remains active with the Argentina men’s national team and wears No. 22 internationally. In 2026, he played throughout the VNL and subsequently helped Argentina finish second at the South American Championship.
Recent Performance Snapshot
| Competition / Match | Team | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Men’s World Championship | Argentina | Selected for Argentina’s World Championship roster |
| 2026 Volleyball Nations League | Argentina | 69 points in 12 matches |
| 2026 Volleyball Nations League | Argentina | 50 attack points, 18 blocks, 1 ace |
| 2026 VNL vs. Brazil | Argentina | 13 points, including 3 blocks and 1 ace |
| 2026 South American Championship | Argentina | Silver Medal |
| 2026 South American final vs. Brazil | Argentina | 7 points |
The VNL figures are competition-specific rather than career totals. Zerba averaged 5.75 points per match in the 2026 competition and produced 18 blocking points across his 12 appearances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Nicolás Zerba?
Nicolás Zerba was born on 13 June 1999. He is 27 years old as of October 2026.
How tall is Nicolás Zerba?
Zerba is listed at 204 cm by Berlin Recycling Volleys and Arago de Sète. Volleyball World lists him at 203 cm, so current official sources differ by one centimeter.
What position does Nicolás Zerba play?
Zerba plays as a middle blocker. His primary responsibilities are first-tempo attacking, blocking, serving and controlling space at the net.
Which club does Nicolás Zerba play for?
Zerba plays for Berlin Recycling Volleys in Germany. He joined the club for the 2026–27 season after playing for Arago de Sète in France.
What number does Nicolás Zerba wear?
Zerba wears No. 37 for Berlin Recycling Volleys and No. 22 with the Argentina men’s national team.
Did Nicolás Zerba play at the Olympics?
Yes. Zerba made his Olympic debut at Paris 2024 and appeared in all three of Argentina’s preliminary-round matches.
Did Nicolás Zerba win the South American Championship?
Yes. Zerba won the 2023 South American Championship with Argentina and was selected as one of the tournament’s best middle blockers.
References
- Berlin Recycling Volleys — Nicolás Zerba: Erst gegen Deutschland, dann für Berlin
- Berlin Recycling Volleys — 2026–27 first-team roster
- Volleyball Bundesliga — 2026–27 transfer market
- Volleyball World — Nicolás Zerba VNL 2026 player profile and statistics
- Volleyball World — Nicolás Zerba Paris 2024 player profile and statistics
- FIVB — Argentina make history by winning the 2023 South American Championship
- FeVA — Argentina roster for the 2026 South American Championship
- FeVA — Argentina finish runner-up at the 2026 South American Championship
- CEV — Narbonne vs. Halkbank, 2022 Challenge Cup final statistics
- Universidad Nacional de La Matanza — Nicolás Zerba and UPCN’s 2018 Argentine title
- Argentine Olympic Committee — Nicolás Zerba athlete profile
- Argentine Olympic Committee — Paris 2024 delegation guide: Nicolás Zerba
- ACLAV — UPCN’s 2017–18 Argentine championship and Nicolás Zerba’s first league title
- Arago de Sète — Nicolás Zerba 2025–26 player profile
