Giba
Yekaterina Gamova
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Giba leads 4 of 4 categories. Our all-time ranking places Giba at #4 and Yekaterina Gamova at #9.
The case for Giba
The charismatic captain of Brazil's golden men's era and one of the most decorated outside hitters ever. Gilberto Godoy Filho - universally known as Giba - led Brazil to Olympic gold in Athens 2004 and silver in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, while anchoring World Championship triumphs in 2002, 2006 and 2010 and a long run of World League and World Cup titles under coach Bernardinho. A dynamic, acrobatic wing spiker with elite serve-receive and a flair for the decisive point, he was named MVP of the 2006 World Championship. For roughly a decade Brazil was the sport's benchmark team, and Giba was its heartbeat, blending Brazilian creativity with relentless consistency. His combination of major-title volume, longevity across five World Championship cycles and leadership on the greatest sides of the 2000s makes him one of the very few players to rival the all-time indoor standard set by Kiraly.
The case for Yekaterina Gamova
A 2.02-metre opposite whose combination of height and power made her one of the most physically dominant attackers the women's game has seen. Gamova led Russia to World Championship titles in 2006 and 2010, taking MVP honours in 2010, and won Olympic silver in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. Hitting down over the block from a standing reach few could match, she was for a decade the go-to scorer whenever Russia needed a point, thriving in the era just after rally scoring rewarded terminal firepower. She also collected multiple European and club titles across a long career in Russia and abroad. Gamova never captured the Olympic gold her talent deserved, but her twin World Championships, imposing presence and sustained production place her firmly among the greatest opposites of all time and a template for the tall, powerful right-side attackers who followed, up to and including Paola Egonu.