Cuban Wilfredo León won silver with Poland in Olympic volleyball.

The star Wilfredo León was one step away from becoming the first Cuban volleyball player to win an Olympic gold medal, but Poland fell to the host country France (0-3) in the grand final held at Arena Paris Sud 1.

"The King" León, considered the best exponent of the discipline today, saw his dreams fade in front of the French team, which successfully defended the Tokyo 2020 crown, with scores of 25-19, 25-20, and 25-23.

Despite the defeat, the Santiago player and the red and white team achieved a valuable silver medal, matching the achievement of the Cuban Osmany Juantorena with Italy in Rio de Janeiro 2016.

However, the 31-year-old assistant left an indelible mark on the tournament, standing out with a total of 103 points, including 81 effective attacks, seven blocks, and 15 aces, figures that are unattainable for the rest of the competitors.

The French national team, which arrived in Paris 2024 as the second in the world ranking, became the third in the history of Olympic volleyball to win the crown in two consecutive editions, joining the former Soviet Union (1964 and 1968) and the United States (1984 and 1988).

Cuba's best performance in men's volleyball occurred in Montreal 1976, when it won the bronze medal. Despite the great results in World Leagues and other global tournaments, the island has not managed to reach the podium again in Olympic events.