Volleyball legend Leila Barros meets a Filipino fan on Saturday at the sidelines of 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship. PNVF
MANILA — Several Filipino fans fulfilled their dreams Saturday of meeting their childhood hero, Brazilian volleyball icon Leila Barros.
After two decades, Barros is back in the Philippines, gracing the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship as the guest of honor on September 27-28 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Some of her die-hard supporters did not miss the once-in-a-lifetime chance of connecting with the Brazilian sports icon.
Karen Posadas, Gladyline Alvero, Irene Bartolome, and Maan Guevarra all knew the crowd darling during the Manila-hosted 2004 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix.
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"Ako, I started [fangirling kay Leila] nung 2000, so iba kasi 'yung charm niya rin kasi talaga, and then sobrang love talaga siya ng Filipinos nung 2000s palang," said Posadas.
"Ako rin po, 2000 Grand Prix. So nanonood lang ako ng TV, 12 years old lang 'ko no'n. I lost hope actually of finally meeting her. back then I was 12 years old, hindi kami nakarating ng PhilSports Arena. Pero finally after 25 years, nakita namin siya," said Alvero.
"Nung napanood ko siya, actually dun ako na-inlove sa sport. Nag-stand out lang sa 'kin si Leila that time. So 'yun," said Bartolome.
"Fan ni Leila since, well, '99 'yung documentation pero 2000 ko siya napanood in person. 'Yun, nag-start ng 2000," said Guevarra.
READ: Volleyball icon Leila Barros arrives in PH for FIVB Men's World Championship
Posadas said she even planned of visiting the senator in her country. But that isn't needed now as she has seen her in person.
"Super unexpected... ang dream ko na lang that time was to go to Brazil and visit her. So not knowing after 25 years, babalik pa rin pala siya," Posadas said. "Thank you and Leila, you will always be the Filipinos' darling of the crowd."
Bartolome acknowledges—and it is a widely-accepted belief—that Barros has been a cataclysmic image for the sport, boosting the popularity of volleyball since her arrival.
"Thank you for charming the Philippines back then, kasi I think a lot of the fans, 'yun 'yung naging introduction to volleyball, or 'yun 'yung naging way to love the sport more. So thank you still for acknowledging your Filipino fans," the fan said.