This Tuesday, in one of the most intense matchups of the round of 16, Belgium triumphed over Slovenia by 3-1 and secured a spot in the Top 8 of the 2023 FIVB Boys' U19 World Championship after 16 years.

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Eliot De Vleeschhauwer was the top scorer of the match with 20 points and expressed great satisfaction for the significant step his team took in San Juan:

"It was a really even match. I think we played very well and Slovenia played well too, but finally, we came out on top."

Belgium won 3 out of their 4 games in Pool D against Chile, Brazil and Mexico. For the opposite hitter, it was in the Preliminary Round where his team achieved a mental breakthrough: "The win against Brazil was a big moment for us. It was a great match and changed something in our minds."

This victory allowed them to solidify their second place in the standings and had a motivating effect on Eliot and his teammates: "We realized we can also win against the best teams here."

For Mieke Moyaert's team, the victory against Slovenia wasn't just about advancing one step closer to the title but also about returning to the group of the top 8 teams in the tournament, something they hadn't accomplished since their debut in U19 World Championships in 2007.

Belgium qualified 3 more times after that but finished 9th in 2013, 17th in 2017 and 11th in 2021. Now, they will seek to achieve their best historical performance when facing Iran in the quarter-finals.

Eliot valued what they have achieved so far and dared to dream about continuing on this path: "We are very happy with what we have done so far. I see a lot of smiles on my teammates' faces and I'm happy too. I hope we can keep the track."

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FIVB Volleyball Boys' U19 World Championship
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