TEHRAN – Iran lost to France 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 25-21) in the final match of the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship in San Juan, Argentina early Saturday.

It was the France’s first volleyball world championship title for any age in either gender. They also had a youth bronze back in 2007.

Iran now single-handedly lead the all-time medal count in the competition with eight podiums: two gold, three silver and three bronze. For Korea, it was the third bronze overall, but the first since 1993.

Authoring all six of his team’s aces, Mathis Henno added two kill blocks and 10 spiking points to tally a match-high 18 points. Joris Seddik raised eight kill blocks towards a 16-point total, while Adrien Roure finished with 15 points, including four stuffs. Mohammadreza Alejalil was Iran’s leading scorer with 14 points.

The bronze medal match earlier on Friday was also resolved in four sets. Korea celebrated a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23 victory over the U.S.

Yun Seojin led the Koreans with 17 points, including two kill blocks, followed by Lee Woojin with 15, while the U.S.’s Sterling Foley delivered the match high of 20 points.