Montpellier HSC VB, a newcomer to the CEV Champions League – Men, is currently navigating its first Round 4 campaign alongside formidable teams like JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel, VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, and Vojvodina NS Seme NOVI SAD. Despite experiencing four defeats so far, the club`s supporters can remain optimistic, as the team`s promising future is significantly bolstered by players like Théo Faure, who has emerged as a pivotal figure this season.
Théo has participated in all four matches, playing 16 sets and accumulating an impressive 75 points, averaging 4.69 points per set, which places him 16th in the current Best Scorers rankings. He stands as Montpellier’s leading scorer in the competition to date. His performance in the French A League has also been stellar; he began the season by earning the MVP award in the Supercup match, which Montpellier won against CVB 52. Furthermore, the French opposite hitter leads his team in scoring in the domestic league, having tallied 226 points across 13 games.
Discover more about Théo Faure, a player widely considered to be a strong contender for the title of “The Next Big Thing” in the world of volleyball.
The Beginning
Théo began his volleyball journey at the age of 11, initially playing with friends. Prior to committing to volleyball, he explored various other sports. He credits his parents, who are also volleyball players, for his early exposure to the sport, often joining them for beach volleyball during holidays.
Going Pro
A notable aspect of Théo’s professional trajectory is that he played as an outside hitter before signing his initial professional contract. For the 23-year-old Frenchman, the decision to pursue a professional career felt organic, stemming from the excitement and emotions he experienced during youth tournaments and significant victories with his team. He reflects, “At that time, you don’t know yet what it means to play Volleyball professionally, to have a career.” His entry into the Toulouse training center marked a crucial turning point in his career choice.
The Champions League Experience
Faure joined Montpellier in 2021, and with the team’s current participation in the prestigious CEV Champions League – Volley, he sees an invaluable opportunity for personal and professional growth. He states, “We are playing against some of the best teams and the best players. It is a very high-level competition, and, for sure, it is a great motivation to learn and gain experience for your development as a player.” Despite their four losses to date, he adds, “It is really nice, although we lost our four games so far. However, we still have two more at home – against Friedrichshafen and Novi Sad, and our goal is to win these two matches, and to continue ahead in the CEV Cup. We don’t want our European journey to end just yet.” Standing at 196 cm, Faure is currently the team`s leading scorer in the competition, experiencing a mix of satisfaction from his performance and slight frustration due to the team`s results.
The French A League
As the reigning French champions, Montpellier began their season strongly with a Supercup victory but subsequently faced challenges, particularly with injuries. Faure explains, “We got the title last year, we started the season with a win in the Supercup. After that, we had some difficult times with injuries, as it often happens with teams that play in local and European competitions.” Their current objective is to secure a top position among the league`s elite teams to ensure a favorable start in the Playoffs.
Inspiration & The Dream
Faure expresses immense pride in the recent accomplishments of the French national team, citing them as his primary source of inspiration. He enthuses, “What they are doing, is really amazing!” For Théo, the ultimate aspiration is to rejoin this esteemed national squad (having previously played in VNL 2021) and, alongside them, achieve further championship titles.
