After losing the first two sets 22-25, 22-25 Bagnioli’s charges added some aggression in defense together with more variety in offense and destroyed Brazilians in set three – 25-16.

They continued to dominate in the fourth set and were close to taking the match into a tiebreak – 20-16 – but a chain of unforced errors as well as Brazil’s solid defense prevented them from doing so.

World number one Brazil has become the champion for a record ninth time after they overcame a tough Russian side 25-22, 25-22, 16-25, 25-23. Brazil has now surpassed Italy as the record World League winner.

The experienced Dante, called back into the national squad after a couple of years in the wilderness, led from the front, including a match high 18 points for Brazil in the final, while usual suspect Rodrigao was at his imposing best.

Brazil has now won a record 15 medals in total including two silver and four bronze while Russia, the third most successful team in the World League, has five silver medals, a gold and seven bronze which includes three bronze and two silver in the past five editions.

Earlier in the day, Serbia claimed the bronze medal after beating Cuba in a five set thriller 28-30, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12. The win gives Serbia its third World League medal in three years after silver in 2008 and 2009 for an overall total of four silver and three bronze medals.