Inaugural World Cup win for Brazil
November 29, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - World champions Brazil finished an excellent 2003 by claiming their first World Cup title here on Sunday and finished the tournament in style with their 11th successive victory, 25-17, 25-20, 25-16 over Japan in Yoyogi Stadium on Sunday. With the South Americans already confirmed as gold medalists after Italy had lost to Serbia and Montenegro earlier in the day, Bernardo Rezende's men just had to complete the formalities against Japan and did so in great artistic style to silence the 12,000 screaming local fans and walk away with the honour of having won the World League, the South American championship and the World Cup in the same year. More Spanish
Pic: Brazil celebrate their first World Cup victory
 
Final Rankings (win-loss ratio in parenthesis)
1, Brazil, (11-0); 2, Italy, (9-2); 3, Serbia and Montenegro (9-2) – all qualified for Athens 2004 Olympic Games ; 4, USA (8-3); 5, France (7-4); 6, Korea (5-6); 7, Canada (5-6); 8, Venezuela (4-7); 9, Japan (3-8); 10, China (2-9);11, Tunisia (2-9);12, Egypt (1-10).

World Cup Magnificent Seven
Best Scorer/MVP: Takahiro Yamamoto, Japan
Best Spiker: Giovane, Brazil
Best Blocker: Andrija Geric, Serbia and Montenegro
Best Server: Andrea Sartoretti, Italy
Best Setter: Nikola Grbic, Serbia and Montenegro
Best Libero: Sergio, Brazil
Special award to Japan’s Daisuke Usami More Spanish
 
Brazil finishes World Cup in style
November 30, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - World champions Brazil already had the World Cup title in the bag but still turned on a magical display of Volleyball to beat Japan 25-17, 25-20, 25-16 in front of a packed Yoyogi Stadium to finish the tournament unbeaten and the year in great style.
Pic: Rodrigo (14) top scored for Brazil with 14 points
Brazil v Japan 3-0 Match Description Match Stats
Canada v Korea 3-2 Match Description Match Stats

Blue Team victory hands title to Brazil
November 30, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - Despite already being confirmed as bronze medalists Serbia and Montenegro gained the consolation of beating Italy in their final match 25-18, 21-25, 30-28, 25-22 and in the process handed Brazil the 2003 World Cup title in the second match on the final day in Yoyogi Stadium while in the Metropolitan Gym, China moved above Tunisia on the rankings when they defeated their North African opponents 25-17, 24-26, 27-25, 31-29.
Pic: Ivan Miljkovic (14), who overtook Takahiro Yamamoto as the tournament's top scorer, and Serbia and Montenegro celebrate
Italy v Serbia & Mont 1-3 Match Descr Match Stats
China v Tunisia 3-1 Match Description Match Stats
 
USA finishes fourth...again
November 30, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - In the battle for fourth place in Yoyogi Stadium, USA beat France in four sets (25-19, 20-25, 26-24, 28-26) in the opening match on Sunday to finish just outside the World Cup medals for a third successive time while in the Metropolitan Gym, Venezuela ended their World Cup on a winning note when they defeated bottom team Egypt 31-29, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21.
Pic: Brook Billings on his way to 13 points for USA
USA v France 3-1 Match Description Match Stats
Egypt v Venezuela 1-3 Match Descript Match Stats

All three Olympic spots decided
November 29, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - Brazil, Italy and Serbia and Montenegro all confirmed their tickets to the 2004 Athens Olympics on Saturday as the top three of the 2003 World Cup in Japan was determined with one day remaining. With Brazil beating USA, Italy defeating Japan and Serbia and Montenegro claiming one set before losing to France, the World, European and Olympic champions can not be displaced from the top three. Only the final order remains to be decided. Following Brazil's 25-20, 25-21, 25-23 defeat of USA in Yoyogi Stadium, the South American champions and Italy confirmed their Olympic qualification as both teams were assured of a top three finish. More German Spanish
Pic: Italy will be joined by Brazil and Serbia and Montenegro in Athens
 
Italy stays in title contention
November 29, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - Italy had to fight hard but eventually sealed a four set victory over Japan on Saturday to record their ninth victory from 10 games and keep themselves in the reckoning for the 2003 World Cup title with one day to go in this Olympic qualifying event.
Pic: Italian libero Damiano Pippi receives as Italy went on to beat Japan in electric sonditions in Yoyogi Stadium
Italy v Japan 3-1 Match Description Match Stats
China v Korea 0-3 Match Description Match Stats

Olympic champs seal final Athens spot
November 29, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - Serbia and Montenegro, needing only one set to guarantee a top three finish at the 2003 World Cup and qualification for Athens 2004, did it tough but finally claimed their Olympic ticket in a 3-1 loss to France in the Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday.
Pic: Nikola Grbic (9) and Serbia & Montenegro needed only one set to claim a 2004 Olympics spot
France v Serbia & Mont 3-1 Match Desc Match Stats
Egypt v Tunisia 1-3 Match Description Match Stats

Brazil win settles two Olympic spots
November 29, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - Brazil and Italy are the first teams to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics after both teams are assured of a top three finish at the 2003 Men’s World Cup following Brazil’s straight sets 25-20, 25-21, 25-23 win over USA in the Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday.
Pic: The chief architects of the Brazilian success: captain Nalbert and coach Rezende
Brazil v USA 3-0 Match Description Match Stats
Canada v Venezuela 3-1 Match Descrip Match Stats
 
Olympic spot beckons for Brazil
November 28, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - World champions Brazil have taken pole position in the race for the Men's World Cup title and virtually guaranteed themselves an Olympic ticket after beating 2000 Olympic champions Serbia and Montenegro in a thrilling top of the table clash on the opening day of Round Four in Yoyogi Stadium, Tokyo on Friday. More Spanish
Pic: Brazil were in sublime form against Serbia & Montenegro
 
France keeps Olympic hopes alive
November 28, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - France's dream of claiming a World Cup medal and an Olympic qualifying ticket was kept alive on Friday after they grafted their way to a crucial straight sets victory over Japan in the Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo while Egypt won their first match of the World Cup when they upset Asian champions Korea 25-20, 21-25, 18-25, 25-23, 15-11.
Pic: France's Marc Schalk led his team in defence
France v Japan 3-0 Match Description Match Stats
Egypt v Korea 3-2 Match Description Match Stats

Brazil wins top of the table clash
November 28, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - World champions Brazil have one hand on the 2003 Men’s World Cup after beating Serbia and Montenegro in four sets 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-21 in Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo on Friday. The South Americans are now the only undefeated side left in the tournament with nine victories and are virtually guaranteed an Olympic ticket with only two games remaining. Meanwhile, in the Metropolitan Gym Canada collected their third win with a 25-23, 25-20, 25-20 win over Tunisia. Pic: Brazilian captain Nalbert led his team to its ninth victory
Brazil v Serbia & Mont 3-1 Match Description Match Stats
Canada v Tunisia 3-0 Match Description Match Stats

Italy virtually seal Olympic spot
November 28, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - European champions Italy have virtually booked a ticket to the 2004 Olympic Games after beating USA in Tokyo on Friday. Their straight sets 25-12, 29-27, 25-22 win means Italy just need to beat Japan on Saturday to seal their ticket after beating USA who now have two defeats. Meanwhile Venezuela recorded their third win off the tournament after defeating China 23-25, 25-22, 28-26, 25-20 in the Metropolitan Gym.
Pic: Italy's Andrea Sartoretti was the MIP and top scorer with 15 points
Italy v USA 3-0 Match Description Match Stats
China v Venezuela 1-3 Match Descrip Match Stats

What the coaches say
November 26, 2003, Tokyo, Japan - The final round of the 2003 Men's World Cup in Japan starts on Friday in Tokyo with Italy, USA, Brazil, France and Serbia and Montenegro all still in contention for a top three finish and a ticket to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Here is what the respective coaches, plus Japanese coach Mikiyasu Tanaka, had to say looking ahead to the run home. More Pic: All 12 coaches ahead of the fourth and final round of the 2003 Men's World Cup