Two-time Olympic champion Benjamin Toniutti has officially announced his retirement from the French national team. The 36-year-old midfielder is leaving the team after 16 years of international service, L'Equipe reports.
Tjonjutti made his debut for the national team in May 2010 in a match against Poland. Since 2013, he has served as the team's captain.
The last tournament for the volleyball player in the national team was the 2025 World Championship in the Philippines, where the French team took 18th place. Despite this result, Togniutti noted that the decision to end his career was deliberate and did not depend on the outcome of the last world championship.
During his career, Tognitti took part in 407 matches for “les bleus”, which allowed him to share second place in the number of games in the history of the national team with Christophe Meneo.
France's most experienced players by number of matches played: top 5
- Hervé Mazzon — 417 matches (1980-1991)
- Benjamin Tonewti — 407 (2010-2025)
- Christophe Meneo — 407 (1986-2000)
- Laurent Tilly — 406 matches (1982-1995)
- Alain Fabiani — 392 matches (1977-1992)
In an interview with L'Équipe, the player explained that he had planned to finish his career after the home Olympics in Paris, but stayed for an additional season in order to participate in the World Cup.
“This blue jersey has been with me for twenty years, including the youth teams. My decision is the result of long reflections that began even before the Olympic Games in Paris. I could have left after my second Olympic triumph in 2024, but personal ambition and the shared desire to experience one last adventure together led us to the World Cup. For me, it is time to say goodbye. I have surpassed my childhood dreams,” said Toniutti.
Tonyutty paid particular attention to the generational continuity in French volleyball. He stressed that he was confident in the team's future thanks to young talents such as Mathis Hennot and Amir Tizi-Oualou.
“I will miss many things. Erwin [Ngapet] is the player to whom I have passed the most passes in my career. Our common goal was to leave a mark on the history of our sport. We made sure that the new generations would adopt the spirit of high standards and collectivism. From today on, I become the No. 1 fan of “Les Bleus “,” added the Frenchman.
The athlete cited the need for rest and the desire to devote more time to his family as the main factor in stopping international appearances after 15 years of continuously combining club and national team seasons.
During Toniutti's time in charge, the French national team has established itself as one of the strongest teams in the world. He has won two Olympic gold medals (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), won the 2015 European Championship, and won four world championships: the World League (2015, 2017) and the Nations League (2022, 2024). Speaking about the most valuable moment in his career, Toniutti singled out the final of the home Olympics.
“The Olympic title in Paris. Or rather, the moment immediately after the victory. In the corridor to the media area, there was a family area. My wife, daughters, and parents were there – happy and proud. It was this moment of shared emotions with them that will forever be etched in my memory,” Toniutti concluded.
Benjamin Toniotti continues his professional career at the club level, playing for the Polish “Jastrzemski”. Despite the end of his performances for the national team, the volleyball player emphasized that he remains motivated to win at the highest level in club competitions.
France and Ukraine are two participants in the 2026 Men's Volleyball Nations League. The teams will not meet each other in the main round of the series.