David Lee exuded calm and confidence as the USA men’s volleyball team trained for the first time in Rio, ahead of this week’s World League final round in the 2016 Olympic Games host city. Perhaps it comes with age and experience – at 33 he is the eldest player on the team that he captains. Or perhaps it comes with returning to a city in which he has already tasted glory – and where he plans to taste more next year.

“It’s good to be back, we’ve been here four times and the team is really excited to be here, mainly for the fact that the Olympics will be here next year, so to get the experience for that competition is great for us,” Lee told rio2016.com after practice on Monday (13 July).

The middle blocker was part of the US team that triumphed the last time the World League finale was staged in Rio, in 2008, when they defeated Brazil 3-0 in the semi-finals before beating Serbia in final. The following month Lee and his team-mates really topped the world, winning Olympic gold in Beijing, this time beating Brazil 3-1 in the final.

And last year – in Florence, Italy – Lee was instrumental as the USA again beat Brazil, this time 3-1 in the final of the World League. However, the American skipper knows that overcoming Brazil on home soil in the World League, which is serving as a Rio 2016 test event, and in next year’s Olympic Games, will be anything but straightforward.  

“It’s going to be much more difficult playing here at the Maracanãzinho – playing Brazil in Brazil is much more difficult than playing Brazil in, say, Florence last year, so we’re going to have to be on our game to beat them, they are a very strong team,” he said.

The USA and Brazil are closely matched when it comes to volleyball honours. Brazil have the most World League titles – nine compared to the USA’s two. Brazil also have three world championship crowns, compared to just one for the USA. But the Americans have three Olympic titles (1984, 1988, 2008) compared with two for Brazil (1992 and 2004).

For Lee, the last statistic is the most important. “For the US, it’s the main competition – we prepare strictly for the Olympic Games, it’s the pinnacle of our sport,” he said.

So, what is needed to win Olympic gold? Lee’s answer was simple. “Team work is the main thing,” he said. “We’ve won before with a team that was very tight, and very experienced, a very old team. Now we have a lot more youth and it’s going to be a whole different road for us to win.”

While predicting who will top the podium at Rio 2016 is hazardous game, there is one thing that most people agree on. “Rio is going to be a great host city,” said Lee, who has played for clubs in Russia, China, Italy, Puerto Rico, Portugal and Indonesia. “This city is beautiful, the people are amazing, it’s going to be a really pleasurable experience. The Games will be full of style, full of music, full of fun. It’s an electric city and I think it’s going to be one of the best Olympics so far.”

The World League final round starts at the Maracanãzinho, the Rio 2016 Olympic venue, on Wednesday (15 July), with Brazil v France and Serbia v Italy. Brazil and the USA will face each other on Thursday and the final will be on Sunday. Click here for more information.

The first chance for men's volleyball teams to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be at the FIVB World Cup in Japan in September 2015.

The USA men's volleyball team poses with the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic mascots (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)