Sérgio Santos (volleyball)

Sérgio Dutra dos Santos, known as Serginho or Escadinha (born 15 October 1975) is a Brazilian former volleyball player and four-time Olympian. As a member of the Brazilian national volleyball team, he won gold medals at the 2004 and 2016 Olympics, and silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Additionally, Serginho is a two-time World Champion (2006, 2010), and a multimedalist of the World League, South American Championship, World Cup, and the Grand Champions Cup. In 2009, he became the first libero to be named Most Valuable Player in the history of the FIVB World League.



Career
Serginho is widely regarded as one of the best liberos of all time and is unquestionably the best libero of the 2000s, with more awards than any other libero. Known for his outstanding service reception and digging capabilities, teams often attempt to avoid Sergio when serving. Beyond his defensive abilities, he is also capable of running the offense as a 'second setter' if the setter is forced to make the first contact. This is in large part due to Sergio playing the setting position while growing up and subbing in as a setter for his professional club teams over the years.

Serginho is a multimedialist of every volleyball tournament in the 2000s. He is a seven-time South American Champion, and he won with Brazil every South American Championship during his whole career in the national team. In 2002 and 2006, he achieved titles of World Champion. During his career, he achieved seven gold and three silver medals of the FIVB World League. In his achievements are also medals in World Cup, World Grand Champions Cup, and Pan American Games.

In 2004, Serginho became an Olympic Champion for the first time. However, in the next two Olympics, the Brazilian national volleyball team won silver medals only. Serginho semi-retired from the national team after the 2012 Olympics, and returned only for the 2015 World League. After that he declined to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but was persuaded by Bernardinho to return. Bernardinho claimed that, while Serginho no longer had the agility that made him famous, he had experience and maturity to lead the team during a tournament that would certainly be rife with pressure on the Brazilian team, since they were playing on their country and coming from two losses on previous Olympics. Serginho was essential to motivate his team against France. They were losing, and on a break, Serginho told his colleagues that, while they all had at least one more chance at going to the Olympics, he didn't – those would be his last Olympic Games. Eventually, Brazil won the gold medal against Italy, and Serginho was acclaimed by the cheering fans, who called him king. After the match against Italy, Serginho was named the tournament's most valued player. He announced after the Rio finals against Italy he will play professionally for two more years.

CEV Champions League

 * Silver medal with cup.svg 2007/2008 – with Copra Piacenza

CEV Top Teams Cup

 * Gold medal with cup.svg 2005/2006 – with Copra Piacenza

National championships

 * 1993/1994 Silver medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with SE Palmeiras
 * 1994/1995 Bronze medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with SE Palmeiras
 * 2001/2002 Silver medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with CRET São Caetano
 * 2002/2003 Bronze medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with CRET São Caetano
 * 2004/2005 Bronze medal with cup.svg Italian Championship, with Copra Piacenza
 * 2006/2007 Silver medal with cup.svg Italian Championship, with Copra Piacenza
 * 2007/2008 Silver medal with cup.svg Italian Championship, with Copra Piacenza
 * 2010/2011 Gold medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with SESI São Paulo
 * 2012/2013 Bronze medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with SESI São Paulo
 * 2013/2014 Silver medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with SESI São Paulo
 * 2014/2015 Silver medal with cup.svg Brazilian Championship, with SESI São Paulo

National team

 * 2001 Gold medal with cup.svg America's Cup
 * 2001 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2001 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2002 Silver medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2002 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Championship
 * 2003 Bronze medal with cup.svg Pan American Games
 * 2003 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2003 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2003 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Cup
 * 2004 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2004 Gold medal with cup.svg Olympic Games
 * 2005 Silver medal with cup.svg America's Cup
 * 2005 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2005 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2005 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
 * 2006 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2006 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Championship
 * 2007 Gold medal with cup.svg Pan American Games
 * 2007 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2007 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2007 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Cup
 * 2008 Silver medal with cup.svg America's Cup
 * 2008 Silver medal with cup.svg Olympic Games
 * 2009 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2009 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2009 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
 * 2010 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2010 Gold medal with cup.svg FIVB World Championship
 * 2011 Silver medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2011 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2011 Bronze medal with cup.svg FIVB World Cup
 * 2012 Silver medal with cup.svg Olympic Games
 * 2015 Gold medal with cup.svg South American Championship
 * 2016 Silver medal with cup.svg FIVB World League
 * 2016 Gold medal with cup.svg Olympic Games

Individual

 * 2001 Brazilian League – Best Libero
 * 2001 America's Cup – Best Digger
 * 2002 Brazilian League – Best Libero
 * 2002 Brazilian League – Best Digger
 * 2002 FIVB World League – Best Digger
 * 2003 Brazilian League – Best Libero
 * 2003 Brazilian League – Best Receiver
 * 2003 Pan American Games – Best Libero
 * 2003 FIVB World League – Best Digger
 * 2003 FIVB World League – Best Receiver
 * 2003 FIVB World Cup – Best Libero
 * 2004 Olympic Games – Best Digger
 * 2004 Olympic Games – Best Receiver
 * 2004 Olympic Games – Best Libero
 * 2006 CEV Top Teams Cup – Best Libero
 * 2007 Pan American Games – Best Receiver
 * 2007 Pan American Games – Best Libero
 * 2007 South American Championship – Best Libero
 * 2007 FIVB World Cup – Best Libero
 * 2008 CEV Champions League – Best Libero
 * 2008 America's Cup – Best Receiver
 * 2008 America's Cup – Best Libero
 * 2009 FIVB World League – Most Valuable Player
 * 2009 South American Championship – Best Libero
 * 2009 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup – Best Libero
 * 2010 Brazilian League – Best Digger
 * 2011 Brazilian League – Best Digger
 * 2011 South American Club Championship – Best Digger
 * 2011 South American Club Championship – Best Libero
 * 2011 South American Championship – Best Digger
 * 2011 South American Championship – Best Receiver
 * 2011 South American Championship – Best Libero
 * 2011 South American Championship – Most Valuable Player
 * 2011 FIVB World Cup – Best Receiver
 * 2011 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Receiver
 * 2011 FIVB Club World Championship – Best Libero
 * 2015 South American Championship – Most Valuable Player
 * 2016 Olympic Games – Best Libero
 * 2016 Olympic Games – Most Valuable Player