{"id":165,"date":"2026-09-28T04:02:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T04:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/?post_type=players&p=165"},"modified":"2026-09-28T04:02:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T04:02:51","slug":"sam-deroo","status":"publish","type":"players","link":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/players\/sam-deroo\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Deroo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sam Deroo is a Belgian outside hitter and the long-serving captain of the Belgium Men\u2019s National Volleyball Team. Born in Beveren in 1992 and listed at 203 cm, he made his senior international debut in 2011 and has captained the Red Dragons since 2015. His professional career has taken him through Belgium, Italy, Poland, Qatar and Russia, with the 2026\u201327 season marking a new move to Turkish club Halkbank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deroo\u2019s career combines a substantial club trophy record with an unusually long leadership role for Belgium. He won three Polish championships with ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale, later added Russian titles with Dynamo Moscow and Zenit Kazan, and helped Belgium win the 2013 European League before leading the national team to its first EuroVolley semifinal in 2017. More recently, Belgium reached the quarterfinals of both the 2025 World Championship and EuroVolley 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest phase of his career has also included a significant comeback. After being diagnosed with cancer in late 2025 and undergoing treatment, Deroo returned to competition with Lokomotiv Novosibirsk in the Russian playoffs, resumed international duty and then signed with Halkbank. In September 2026, while discussing his recovery and return with TopVolley Belgium, he said his follow-up checks had continued to bring positive results. Sam Deroo\u2019s September 2026 interview with TopVolley Belgium<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Player Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Attribute<\/th>Information<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Full Name<\/strong><\/td>Sam Deroo<\/td><\/tr>\n
Date of Birth<\/strong><\/td>April 29, 1992<\/td><\/tr>\n
Place of Birth<\/strong><\/td>Beveren, Belgium<\/td><\/tr>\n
Nationality<\/strong><\/td>Belgian<\/td><\/tr>\n
Position<\/strong><\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Height<\/strong><\/td>203 cm (6 ft 8 in)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Weight<\/strong><\/td>105 kg (231 lb)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Spike Reach<\/strong><\/td>355 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Block Reach<\/strong><\/td>335 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Current Club<\/strong><\/td>Halkbank<\/td><\/tr>\n
National Team<\/strong><\/td>Belgium Men\u2019s National Volleyball Team<\/td><\/tr>\n
National-Team Number<\/strong><\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>\n
Previous Clubs<\/strong><\/td>Knack Roeselare, Casa Modena, Calzedonia Verona, ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale, Al-Rayyan, Dynamo Moscow, Asseco Resovia, Zenit Kazan, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk<\/td><\/tr>\n
Instagram<\/strong><\/td>@deroosam<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Current federation and international competition listings give Deroo at 203 cm, while some former club records use 202 cm. CEV and Volley Vlaanderen list a 355 cm attack reach and 335 cm block reach. The 105 kg weight figure appears in established international-tournament records, although older club profiles have used different values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deroo grew up in Beveren and entered Belgium\u2019s national-team pathway well before his professional club career began. By 2009, he was already representing Belgium at the FIVB Junior World Championship in India, where the team finished sixth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of his strongest volleyball influences during those years was Brazilian outside hitter Giba. Deroo later recalled watching large numbers of videos of the Brazilian star while developing his own game. The connection acquired an unexpected second chapter years later when both became members of the FIVB Athletes\u2019 Commission. FIVB\u2019s feature on Sam Deroo\u2019s development and passion for volleyball<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deroo entered professional volleyball at 18 with Knack Roeselare in 2010. His first senior season was already productive: Roeselare won the Belgian Cup and Belgian Super Cup and competed in the CEV Champions League. In his second season, he finished at the top of the receiving statistics in the club\u2019s CEV Cup campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That combination of size and first-contact responsibility would remain important throughout his career. At 203 cm, Deroo had the physical profile of a large international outside hitter, but his route into elite volleyball was not based solely on attacking height. Reception became a durable part of the role he carried through Italy, Poland and Russia and later as Belgium\u2019s captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Club Career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Roeselare and the Move to Italy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo\u2019s first professional club was Knack Roeselare, where he spent the 2010\u201311 and 2011\u201312 seasons. The early Belgian Cup and Super Cup victories gave him senior trophies almost immediately, while European competition exposed him to a higher level of club volleyball before he turned 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2012, he moved to Italy to join Casa Modena. The transfer began three consecutive seasons in Serie A, two with Modena followed by the 2014\u201315 season with Calzedonia Verona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy was an important developmental phase. Deroo was still in his early twenties, but the demands placed on outside hitters in Serie A required him to combine attacking with a substantial receiving workload. He left Italy in 2015 as a significantly more established international player and moved into what would become one of the defining club periods of his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four Seasons and Three Championships with ZAKSA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale signed Deroo in 2015. He stayed for four seasons and became part of one of the strongest domestic stretches in the club\u2019s modern history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZAKSA won the Polish championship in Deroo\u2019s first season, 2015\u201316, and defended the title in 2016\u201317. That second campaign also brought the Polish Cup. After finishing as league runner-up in 2017\u201318, ZAKSA returned to the top in 2018\u201319, winning both the championship and Polish Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final record from his four seasons therefore included three Polish league titles and two national cups. When ZAKSA confirmed his departure in September 2019, the club specifically highlighted those five trophies and the four-season role he had played in the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deroo also had a short spell with Al-Rayyan in Qatar after the 2018\u201319 Polish season and helped the club win the Emir Cup before moving permanently to Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dynamo Moscow and the 2020\u201321 Treble<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo joined Dynamo Moscow in 2019 and spent two seasons with the Russian club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His second year produced one of the strongest trophy collections of his career. Dynamo won the Russian Cup, the Russian Championship and the CEV Cup, completing a three-trophy period that placed Deroo among the relatively small group of Belgian players to win both major domestic championships and a European club competition abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEV Cup was especially significant because it added a European title to a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 already containing domestic trophies in Belgium and Poland. Deroo had also been voted Dynamo\u2019s best player by club supporters during his first season in Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resovia and Three Championship Seasons in Kazan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After Dynamo, Deroo returned to Poland for one season with Asseco Resovia in 2021\u201322. He then moved back to Russia in 2022 to join Zenit Kazan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three seasons in Kazan produced another sustained run of silverware. Zenit won the Russian championship in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Deroo also collected Russian Cups in 2022 and 2023 and Russian Super Cups in 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His final Zenit season remained productive. In 2024\u201325, the club recorded him with 228 points in 28 matches, including 186 attack points, 31 blocks and 11 aces. His positive reception rate was listed at 44%, while his attack efficiency remained strong enough for him to continue as a regular six-rotation outside hitter on a championship team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zenit completed that season by winning another Russian title. Deroo contributed during the championship run, including an effective counter-attacking performance in the final series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, Treatment and a Return to Competition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo joined Lokomotiv Novosibirsk for 2025\u201326.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The season changed dramatically after he was diagnosed with cancer in November 2025 and began chemotherapy. TopVolley Belgium publicly confirmed the diagnosis in December and expressed support for Deroo while respecting his family\u2019s privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He completed treatment and rehabilitation before returning late in the Russian season. Deroo subsequently took part in Lokomotiv\u2019s playoff campaign. The club finished with bronze medals in both the Russian Championship and Russian Cup, and its farewell announcement recorded 141 league points from Deroo across 18 Russian championship matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comeback also became part of the decision surrounding his next transfer. Deroo later explained that Lokomotiv was preparing to reduce its budget, which opened the possibility of moving to Halkbank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A New Chapter with Halkbank<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On July 12, 2026, Halkbank officially announced the signing of Deroo for the 2026\u201327 season. The Ankara club added him to an outside-hitting group that also includes Matey Kaziyski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move returns Deroo to a different European league after spending most of the previous seven seasons between Russia and Poland. Halkbank entered the season under head coach Radostin Stoytchev, while Deroo described the club as an ambitious project when discussing the transfer with the Belgian federation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His arrival gives Halkbank a veteran outside hitter with experience in Serie A, PlusLiga, the Russian Superleague and CEV competition, as well as more than a decade of responsibility as an international receiver and attacker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Club Career Timeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Seasons<\/th>Team<\/th>Country<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2010\u201312<\/td>Knack Roeselare<\/td>Belgium<\/td><\/tr>\n
2012\u201314<\/td>Casa Modena<\/td>Italy<\/td><\/tr>\n
2014\u201315<\/td>Calzedonia Verona<\/td>Italy<\/td><\/tr>\n
2015\u201319<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td>Poland<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>Al-Rayyan<\/td>Qatar<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019\u201321<\/td>Dynamo Moscow<\/td>Russia<\/td><\/tr>\n
2021\u201322<\/td>Asseco Resovia<\/td>Poland<\/td><\/tr>\n
2022\u201325<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td>Russia<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326<\/td>Lokomotiv Novosibirsk<\/td>Russia<\/td><\/tr>\n
2026\u2013present<\/td>Halkbank<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

National Team Career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Senior Debut and European League Gold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo made his senior Belgium debut in 2011, appearing in both the European League and European Championship. He was still only 19, but his combination of height and six-rotation outside-hitting responsibilities made him a natural part of the generation Belgium was attempting to build around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first major senior medal arrived two years later. Belgium won the 2013 European League, which remains the central senior national-team title of Deroo\u2019s career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was appointed captain of the Red Dragons in 2015. That role proved unusually durable: by 2025, FIVB was marking a full decade of Deroo serving as senior national-team captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belgium\u2019s Historic EuroVolley 2017 Run<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

EuroVolley 2017 produced one of Belgium\u2019s strongest championship performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Red Dragons defeated Italy 3\u20130 in the quarterfinals, reaching the European Championship semifinals for the first time. Deroo led Belgium with 16 points in that quarterfinal, including 13 attack points and two aces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belgium ultimately finished fourth, narrowly missing the podium, but the tournament established the team as a genuine threat at European level. For Deroo, it also reinforced the distinction between simply being the nominal captain and carrying a major scoring and reception role at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Long Road Back to the World Championship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Belgium then went through a long period outside the men\u2019s World Championship before returning in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comeback tournament in the Philippines became one of the most important Red Dragons campaigns of Deroo\u2019s captaincy. Belgium opened by beating Ukraine in straight sets, then defeated defending world champions Italy in five sets to secure advancement from the pool. Deroo contributed 17 points in the win over Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belgium finished the preliminary phase unbeaten and at the top of its pool, defeated Finland 3\u20130 in the round of 16 and advanced to the World Championship quarterfinals. Italy won the rematch at that stage, but Belgium\u2019s run placed the national team among the final eight in the world. Deroo scored 11 points in the quarterfinal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That World Championship also helped position Belgium for another step forward. The country earned a place in the 2026 Volleyball Nations League, marking the Red Dragons\u2019 first appearance in the competition under the modern VNL format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EuroVolley 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo returned to full international competition in 2026 after his treatment and rehabilitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At EuroVolley, Belgium won Pool C in Tampere and advanced through the round of 16 by beating Czechia 3\u20131. Ferre Reggers scored 24 points in that match, while Deroo repeatedly carried scoring responsibility in the key middle sets as Belgium reached its first European Championship quarterfinal since 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The run ended against Slovenia on September 23. Belgium lost the quarterfinal 3\u20131, and Deroo was forced out early after experiencing an adductor problem during the opening set. He later said he had felt something tear and could not continue. At the time of the immediate post-match reporting, no precise diagnosis or recovery timetable had been established publicly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with the difficult ending, the tournament extended a senior national-team career that had begun 15 years earlier. Deroo remained captain, a starting outside hitter and a meaningful scoring option as Belgium again reached the final eight at a major international championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing Style & Strengths<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deroo has spent most of his career as a conventional six-rotation outside hitter rather than a specialist scorer. At 203 cm with a listed 355 cm attack reach, he has enough size to attack high balls and contribute at the block, but his value has also depended on carrying a significant share of serve reception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That balance is visible in his club statistics. During the 2024\u201325 Russian season with Zenit Kazan, Deroo combined 186 attack points and 31 blocks with a 44% positive reception rate. Those numbers describe an outside hitter asked to participate in every phase of the game rather than one protected from first contact so that he can focus primarily on scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His attacking profile is particularly useful on high and medium-tempo balls from zone four. Deroo can use his reach against single blocks, but experience has also made him comfortable working with the outside hand of the blocker or recycling difficult balls rather than forcing a clean winner on every swing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has also remained effective in the pipe and other back-row attacking situations. Zenit repeatedly used him as a secondary attacking route from the back court, giving setters another option when the opposite or front-row outside attracted the block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the net, his size gives him more blocking value than many reception-focused outside hitters. He recorded 31 blocks for Zenit in 2024\u201325 and has continued to contribute directly in that phase for Belgium. At EuroVolley 2026, his scoring included a meaningful number of block points alongside his attack production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reception, however, is what makes the complete profile work. Belgium has increasingly paired Deroo\u2019s experience with younger attackers such as Seppe Rotty and high-volume opposite Ferre Reggers. Deroo\u2019s ability to remain stable in first contact helps give the setter enough structure to use those more explosive scoring options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leadership is also inseparable from the tactical side of his game. Having captained Belgium since 2015, he has operated through multiple generations of the national team. The role has changed as younger attackers have taken larger scoring loads, but Deroo has remained valuable because he can still score while also providing reception, blocking and decision-making in difficult rotations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major Achievements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deroo\u2019s club r\u00e9sum\u00e9 covers domestic championships in Poland and Russia, national cups in several countries and a European title with Dynamo Moscow. With Belgium, his major medal remains the 2013 European League gold, while the national team has also produced historic championship runs under his captaincy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selected National Team Honors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Year<\/th>Competition<\/th>Result<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2013<\/td>CEV European League<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>CEV European Championship<\/td>Fourth place<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025<\/td>FIVB World Championship<\/td>Quarterfinal<\/td><\/tr>\n
2026<\/td>CEV European Championship<\/td>Quarterfinal<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Selected Club Honors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Year \/ Season<\/th>Competition<\/th>Result<\/th>Team<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2010<\/td>Belgian Super Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Knack Roeselare<\/td><\/tr>\n
2010\u201311<\/td>Belgian Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Knack Roeselare<\/td><\/tr>\n
2015\u201316<\/td>Polish Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016\u201317<\/td>Polish Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016\u201317<\/td>Polish Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td><\/tr>\n
2018\u201319<\/td>Polish Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td><\/tr>\n
2018\u201319<\/td>Polish Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>Emir Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Al-Rayyan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>Russian Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Dynamo Moscow<\/td><\/tr>\n
2020\u201321<\/td>Russian Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>Dynamo Moscow<\/td><\/tr>\n
2020\u201321<\/td>CEV Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Dynamo Moscow<\/td><\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>Russian Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2022\u201323<\/td>Russian Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>Russian Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>Russian Super Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2023\u201324<\/td>Russian Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2024<\/td>Russian Super Cup<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2024\u201325<\/td>Russian Championship<\/td>Winner<\/td>Zenit Kazan<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326<\/td>Russian Championship<\/td>Bronze<\/td>Lokomotiv Novosibirsk<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326<\/td>Russian Cup<\/td>Bronze<\/td>Lokomotiv Novosibirsk<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ZAKSA and Zenit periods account for much of Deroo\u2019s domestic championship record. His three Polish titles came across four seasons, while each of his three seasons with Zenit Kazan ended with the Russian championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leadership Beyond the Court<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deroo\u2019s leadership role extends beyond Belgium\u2019s national team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, he joined the FIVB Athletes\u2019 Commission, a body designed to represent athlete perspectives within international volleyball governance. He served as the Commission\u2019s secretary during the 2021\u201324 term and was elected for another term covering 2025\u201328. FIVB Athletes\u2019 Commission<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The role fits a wider pattern in Deroo\u2019s career. He captained Belgian junior teams before becoming senior captain and has remained one of the most experienced players around the Red Dragons as a younger core developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His work on the Commission has involved representing player interests in discussions extending beyond match performance, including athlete welfare, regulatory issues and post-career support. He remained an active Commission member during its January 2026 discussions about athlete representation and FIVB\u2019s Beyond the Court programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That administrative role does not replace his identity as an active player. In 2026, Deroo was simultaneously preparing for another club season, captaining Belgium at EuroVolley and serving on the international athletes\u2019 representative body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health, Family & Return to Competition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 2025\u201326 season became a major personal and professional interruption when Deroo was diagnosed with cancer in November 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TopVolley Belgium announced publicly in December that he had begun chemotherapy while with Lokomotiv Novosibirsk. Deroo later explained that his treatment involved three cycles spread across nine weeks, followed by rehabilitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He returned to the court before the Russian season ended and appeared in the playoffs with Lokomotiv. In his September 2026 interview with the Belgian federation, Deroo said his follow-up checks had so far continued to produce positive results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same period also brought a major family change. Deroo became a father for the second time in 2026, with the birth of his daughter Mia. He missed the first two windows of Belgium\u2019s inaugural VNL campaign around that period before returning to international competition later in the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His return was therefore not simply a brief late-season appearance. By September, he was again starting and captaining Belgium through a full European Championship campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Is Sam Deroo Playing Now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sam Deroo plays for Halkbank in T\u00fcrkiye for the 2026\u201327 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halkbank announced his signing on July 12, 2026, after his single season with Lokomotiv Novosibirsk. The club\u2019s current first-team roster lists Deroo among its outside hitters alongside Matey Kaziyski, Danislav Bardarov and Yi\u011fit Hamza Aslan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move puts Deroo back into a league he has not previously played in during his long professional career. Halkbank is scheduled to begin its 2026\u201327 Turkish league campaign in October, so his competitive club debut falls after Belgium\u2019s EuroVolley run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The immediate question entering that season is his physical status following the adductor injury sustained in Belgium\u2019s EuroVolley quarterfinal against Slovenia on September 23. Deroo left the match after the opening set and said afterward that continuing was not possible. No reliable public source available immediately after the tournament had established the precise severity or a definitive return date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Performance Snapshot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deroo\u2019s 2026 European Championship showed that his role with Belgium remains substantial despite his interrupted 2025\u201326 club season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Statistic<\/th>EuroVolley 2026<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Matches<\/strong><\/td>7<\/td><\/tr>\n
Total Points<\/strong><\/td>114<\/td><\/tr>\n
Attack Points<\/strong><\/td>99<\/td><\/tr>\n
Block Points<\/strong><\/td>11<\/td><\/tr>\n
Serve Points<\/strong><\/td>4<\/td><\/tr>\n
Team Finish<\/strong><\/td>Quarterfinal<\/td><\/tr>\n
National-Team Number<\/strong><\/td>3<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Belgium won its preliminary pool and defeated Czechia in the round of 16 before losing 3\u20131 to Slovenia in the quarterfinal. Deroo was one of Belgium\u2019s principal scorers throughout the tournament and produced key attacking stretches during the win over Czechia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quarterfinal ended differently. Deroo scored four points before leaving early with the adductor problem, forcing Belgium to reorganize its outside-hitting rotation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How old is Sam Deroo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sam Deroo was born on April 29, 1992. He is 34 during the 2026\u201327 club season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How tall is Sam Deroo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo is listed at 203 cm, approximately 6 ft 8 in, by Volleyball World and Volley Vlaanderen. Some former club records have listed him at 202 cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What position does Sam Deroo play?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

He is an outside hitter. Deroo has spent his career as a six-rotation wing player with responsibility in both serve reception and attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which club does Sam Deroo play for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deroo plays for Halkbank in T\u00fcrkiye for the 2026\u201327 season. The club officially announced his signing on July 12, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Sam Deroo Belgium\u2019s captain?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. Deroo has been captain of the Belgium men\u2019s national team since 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What number does Sam Deroo wear for Belgium?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

He wears No. 3 for the Belgium Men\u2019s National Volleyball Team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has Sam Deroo won a European club competition?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. He won the CEV Cup with Dynamo Moscow in the 2020\u201321 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has Sam Deroo won a medal with Belgium?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. Belgium won gold in the 2013 CEV European League with Deroo in the squad. Under his later captaincy, Belgium also finished fourth at EuroVolley 2017 and reached major quarterfinals at the 2025 World Championship and EuroVolley 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did Sam Deroo return to volleyball after cancer treatment?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. After undergoing treatment during the 2025\u201326 season, Deroo returned for Lokomotiv Novosibirsk\u2019s Russian playoff campaign and later resumed international competition with Belgium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Sam Deroo part of the FIVB Athletes\u2019 Commission?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. He served during the 2021\u201324 cycle and is a member of the Commission for the 2025\u201328 term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n