2000 until now After the sixth place in the
Sydney Olympic Games, the Brazilian men's national team underwent some important changes ahead of the 2001 season. Mr.
Bernardo Rezende, nicknamed Bernardinho, who had spent six years coaching the
women's national team, was chosen to be the head coach of the Brazilian men's national team. In the first season with Bernardinho, the team conquered three gold medals (
World League,
America's Cup and
South American Championship) and one silver medal (
World Grand Champions Cup). In 2002, Brazil finished second in the World League after losing the title at home idc in the match against
Russia. But in that same season, they conquered the
World Championship for the first time ever. The beginning of the 2003 season was very special for the World Champions. In an exciting final match against
Serbia and Montenegro, Brazil won the
World League gold medal for the third time, beating its opponent 3–2 in
Madrid. After that, the team was defeated by
Venezuela in the semifinal of the
Pan American Games in
Santo Domingo (
Dominican Republic) and ended up with the bronze in the competition. However, the Brazilian squad beat Venezuela by 3–0 in the
South American Championship final only one month later. That year ended with Brazil conquering the last title it had not won yet: the
World Cup, in
Japan. In 2004, Bernardinho led the Brazilian team to a fourth title of the
World League. In August, the Brazilian men's team won the second Olympic gold medal of its history, which happened in
Athens in
2004 (the first one was conquered in
Barcelona in
1992). In the final, Brazil beat
Italy 3–1. In the 2005 season, the Olympic Champion won four medals. In the final match against
Serbia and Montenegro, Brazil won another gold medal in the
World League, beating its opponent 3–1. After that, the team became second in the
America's Cup, defeated by the
United States in the final. Then in the
South American Championship, Brazil conquered its 25th title, winning all matches and losing just one set. To end this great season, Bernardo Rezende's team secured the gold medal in the
World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. During the year 2006, the Brazilian team won a sixth title in the
World League and a second title in the
World Championship. This team was considered by some commentators to the best and most consistent men's volleyball team of all time. ==Medals==