If today's volleyball is passionate samba, Brazilian star spiker Gilberto Godoy Filho is the leading dancer.
Affectionately known as "Giba" in the volleyball world, the world's No.1 attacker is expected to lead the Brazil men's team, the defending Olympic champion, to repeat their Athens glory in Beijing.
Four years ago, a high-spirit Brazil won over European champions Italy, 25-15, 24-26, 25-20, 25-22, to complete a sweep of world championship, world league and Olympics.
Giba contributed 20 points for his team at the wonderful finale.
The Brazilians have so much confidence in the almost same Giba-led squad, with more mature skills and more cohesive teamwork, in August that local media have called for the volleyball fans to make preparations to celebrate the team's success in Beijing.
Brazilian coach Bernado Rezende has also shown great expectation to his captain.
"Giba is the type of player that when it's a big game, a big event, he's always ready," he said.
However, Giba has kept low key for his second Olympic trip, saying that the fate is in God's hand.
"I already have one Olympic gold medal. I just do my best," he said.
Born to a baker family in Londrina, Brazil in 1976, Giba passed through many adversities in the earlier years -- he had leukemia when he was a baby and injured his arm badly in his childhood.
The boy overcome the hardships and showed great gift in volleyball.