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The first success of the Italian Men's National Team was the bronze medal won at the European Championships in 1948, but it was only in the early 1970s that Italy remained consistently near the top of the Volleyball tree, attending every Olympic Games from 1976 onwards.

In 1984, the Italian team won the bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, with Silvano Prandi coach of the Italians.

It was in 1985 that those who were to become the stars of the 1990s gave a glimpse of their future success by claiming the silver medal at the Junior World Championships in Italy.

In 1993, Italy set off on another series uninterrupted successes. Julio Velasco's boys prevailed in the first edition of the World Champions Cup, and then in 1994 defeated the Netherlands in the World Championship Final in Athens and gained the World League title for the fourth time.

The Velasco era ended in 1996. The Italians missed out on the Olympic gold medal in the Final of the Atlanta Games, surrendering to the Dutch in a tie-break. The Italian team still took second place in the World League, though.

Led by the Brazilian Bebeto, Italy played a major role in 1997: they conquered the World League Finals in Moscow and claimed the bronze medal at the European Championships in Eindhoven. In 1998, the Italians won the World Championship for the third time.

At the beginning of 1999, there was a change on the bench with the arrival of Andrea Anastasi. He immediately started winning and Italy claimed the World League for the seventh time.

In the 2000 World League, Italy won their eighth gold medal, defeating Russia. At the Olympic Games in Sydney, a bronze medal was theirs.

The year 2003 started with new coach Gianpaolo Montali. The following year saw Italy win the World League silver medal and Olympic Games silver medal.

There has been no additional silverware since then. At the end of 2007, coach Anastasi returned to the bench to try to remedy this. His first step was to make sure Italy qualified for Beijing, which they did by romping to victory in the Tokyo Olympic qualifier in May, winning all seven matches in the round-robin event.

When Andrea Anastasi played for the Italian Junior National Team, his trainer called him "Dwarf" because of his 181-cm frame was overshadowed by a team of giants.

Over the years the "Dwarf" has grown. First into a well-respected and successful international player, and then as a well-respected and successful Head Coach.

Anastasi had a long career as a player. As a part of the Italian National Team he played 141 matches (his first was February 8, 1981, against All Stars).

He won the FIVB World Championship in 1990, the European Championship in 1989 and the FIVB World League in 1990, ending his career as a National Team player in Athens in 1991 when he won the Mediterranean Games.

In 1994, he started his training career in the Italian Championship, Serie A2, with the Bipop Brescia Team. From 1995 to 1999, he coached the Gabeca Montichiari Club.

He first began training the Italian team in the 1999 World League.

His first season as Head Coach was a triumph: first place in the World League, first place in the European Championships and third place in the FIVB World Cup in Japan.

In 2000, his second season as Italian National Team trainer, he won the World League in Rotterdam and the bronze medal at the Sydney Games.

The year 2001 was a significant one for Anastasi with two silver medals, the first in the World League the next in the European Championship in Ostrava.

He then quit his Italian job in 2002, after the National Team finished fifth in the Argentina World Championships.

From 2006 to 2007 he coached the Spanish National Team, leading them to European Championship glory in Moscow in 2007.

On October 16, 2007, the Italian Volleyball Federation called him back to coach the Men's Italian Team and he is set to work with them until the 2010 World Championships.

Anastasi was born in Poggiorusco, a province of Mantova, on October 9, 1960. He is married and he has two children.