Cuba's men's volleyball team lost today to Japan.

Havana, October 9 (RHC) - Sada Cruzeiro's star point-receiver Miguel Angel Lopez leads the Cuban volleyball team that will go to the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile (October-November).

In addition to Lopez, baptized in Brazil as the "flying Cuban", the selection includes six other players who were in the Pre-Olympic, where Cuba made a remarkable performance, achieving resounding victories as the one against the world champion, Italy, and fought until the last minute for a direct quota to Paris-2024.

The others in the Pre-Olympic are Miguel David Gutiérrez, Christian Thondike, José Massó, Yonder García, Lyván Taboada and Alain Gorguet.

Also included in the group of 12 players at the helm of Jesus Cruz, the young opposite Alejandro Miguel Gonzalez (20 years old and 2.08m), for experts the greatest talent of Cuban volleyball.

Completing the squad are Jakdiel Contreras, Thiago Suarez, Adrian Chirino and Yusniel Marti.

The absence of other star players of the team is due to the fact that they have NOT been authorized by their clubs to participate in the continental games.

Eight teams will compete in the men's volleyball tournament in Santiago 2023 in two groups and the Cubans are in Group A along with Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, their first opponent on October 30. Group B is made up of Argentina, Puerto Rico, Chile and the Dominican Republic.

The United States and Canada will not take part in the competition.

Cuba has 13 medals in the history of men's volleyball in continental events, 5 of them gold. They won for the last time in Winnipeg-99 and in the last edition, in Lima-2019, they won silver, after losing in the final against Argentina.

TEAM OF 12 PLAYERS

Miguel Angel Lopez.

Miguel David Gutierrez.

Christian Thondike

José Massó.

Yonder García.

Lyván Taboada

Alain Gorguet.

Alejandro Miguel González.

Jakdiel Contreras Acosta.

Thiago Suarez.

Adrian Chirino.

Yusniel Martí.

DT. Jesús Cruz.