Nikola Grbić (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Грбић; born 6 September 1973) is a Serbian professional volleyball coach and former player who is currently serving as head coach for the Poland national team. Grbić is a gold medalist of the 2000 Summer Olympics, a bronze medalist of the 1996 Summer Olympics, and a multiple World Championship, European Championship, and World League medalist. He was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Career as player
Club volleyball
In 1994, Grbić began playing for Gabeca Montichiari, which started a 13–year career playing for eight different Italian teams and resulted in eight league titles from 1994 to 2013. He won two Championship titles in Italy (2008 Trentino – 2010 Cuneo), and one in Russia (2014 Zenit Kazan). He also won two CEV Euro Champions League titles (2000 Sisley – 2009 Trentino).
National team
Grbić started with the senior national team in 1991, when he was 18 years old. For the next couple of years (1992–1994), he was unable to play due to an international embargo.
Yugoslavia, with Grbić, won the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Grbić was honored as the European Championship Best Setter in 1997 as Yugoslavia earned the silver medal. In 1998, he led Yugoslavia to the silver medal at the FIVB World Championship in Japan.
Grbić was the captain of his national team from 1999 to 2010. He led Yugoslavia to the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, with a dominating three-set win over Russia in the finals. Grbić then helped Serbia win the bronze medal at the 2010 FIVB World Championship in Italy, where he was named Best Setter of the tournament.
Career as coach
In May 2014, Grbić became the head coach of the Italian club Sir Safety Perugia. On 3 February 2015, Grbić was announced as the new head coach of the Serbia men's national volleyball team. Grbić led Serbia to the silver medal at the 2015 FIVB World League. In the next year, he led Serbia to the gold medal at the 2016 FIVB World League. Serbia had lost their five previous appearances in the World League final, including three times to Brazil and the previous year against France. Finally, after five silver medals and three bronze medals, they won the gold.
Personal life
Grbić was born in Klek. He has an older brother, Vladimir, who is also a former volleyball player. Grbić's wife is named Stanislava and together they have two sons, Matija and Miloš.
Honours
As a player
- CEV European Champions Cup
1999–2000 – with Sisley Treviso
- CEV Cup
1997–98 – with Alpitour Traco Cuneo- 2005–06 – with Copra Berni Piacenza
- 2009–10 – with Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
- Domestic
- 1991–92 Serbia and Montenegro Cup, with Vojvodina Novi Sad
- 1991–92
Serbia and Montenegro Championship, with Vojvodina Novi Sad - 1992–93 Serbia and Montenegro Championship, with Vojvodina Novi Sad
- 1993–94 Serbia and Montenegro Cup, with Vojvodina Novi Sad
- 1993–94 Serbia and Montenegro Championship, with Vojvodina Novi Sad
- 1998–99 Italian Cup, with TNT Alpitour Cuneo
- 1999–2000 Italian Cup, with Sisley Treviso
- 2007–08 Italian Championship, with Itas Diatec Trentino
- 2009–10 Italian Championship, with Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
- 2010–11 Italian SuperCup, with Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
- 2010–11 Italian Cup, with Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
- 2013–14 Russian Championship, with Zenit Kazan
- 1991–92
As a coach
- Domestic
- 2019–20 Polish SuperCup, with ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle
- 2020–21 Polish SuperCup, with ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle
- 2020–21 Polish Cup, with ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle
- 2021–22 Italian Cup, with Sir Safety Conad Perugia
- 2019–20
Individual awards
- 1997: CEV European Championship – Best setter
- 1997: Sportsman of the year by the Olympic Committee of Serbia
- 2000: Italian Championship – Best player
- 2000: Italian Championship – Best foreign player
- 2001: CEV European Championship – Best setter
- 2003: CEV European Championship – Best setter
- 2003: FIVB World Cup – Best setter
- 2005: CEV European Championship – Best setter
- 2006: CEV Top Teams Cup – Best setter
- 2009: FIVB World League – Best setter
- 2010: Italian Championship – Best setter
- 2010: Italian Cup – Best player
- 2010: CEV Cup – Best setter
- 2010: FIVB World Championship – Best setter
- 2014: CEV – Ultimate team leader
- 2023: Awards of Plebiscite of Przegląd Sportowy – Coach of the year
State awards
See also
References
- "Nowi trenerzy siatkarskich reprezentacji Polski". Pzps.pl (in Polish). 12 January 2022. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Nikola Grbic". International Volleyball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Grbic Excited To Start Work With Serbian Team". International Volleyball Federation. 17 March 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- "Yugoslavia Rolls Russia for First Gold". The Los Angeles Times. 1 October 2000. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- "Pallavolo, è Nikola Grbic il nuovo allenatore della Sir Safety Perugia". Umbria24.it (in Italian). 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- Bećagović, M. (3 February 2015). "Pravi čovek za pravo mesto: Nikola Grbić selektor odbojkaša Srbije!". Sport.blic.rs (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- "Nikola Grbic è il nuovo coach della Serbia. Le congratulazioni del presidente Sirci". Tifogrifo.com (in Italian). 3 February 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- "RAZVEO SE OD ŠKOLSKE LJUBAVI I OŽENIO SE NJOM: Stanislava je očarala Nikolu Grbića, a kuma im je prebogata Srpkinja". Lepa i Srećna (in Serbian). 25 August 2023. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- "Uroczystość wręczenia odznaczeń medalistom oraz trenerom Igrzysk XXXIII Olimpiady Paryż 2024". prezydent.pl (in Polish). 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
External links
- Coach profile at the European Volleyball Confederation
- Player profile at the European Volleyball Confederation
- Coach profile at LegaVolley.it (in Italian)
- Player profile at LegaVolley.it (in Italian)
- Player profile at Volleyhall.org
- Coach/Player profile at Volleybox.net
- Nikola Grbić at Olympedia (archive)
- Nikola Grbić at Olympics.com
- Nikola Grbić at the Olimpijski Komitet Srbije (in Serbian)
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
Preceded by Peter Blangé
|
Best Setter of CEV European Championship 2001 2003 2005 |
Succeeded by Vadim Khamuttskikh
|
Preceded by Lloy Ball
|
Best Setter of FIVB World Cup 2003 |
Succeeded by Miguel Ángel Falasca
|
| Preceded by Lloy Ball
|
Best Setter of FIVB World League 2009 |
Succeeded by Sergey Grankin
|
Preceded by Paweł Zagumny
|
Best Setter of FIVB World Championship 2010 |
Succeeded by Lukas Kampa
|
| Sporting positions | ||
Preceded by Vital Heynen
|
Head coach of Poland 2022– |
Succeeded by– |
| FR Yugoslavia men's volleyball squad – 1996 Summer Olympics – Bronze medal | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| FR Yugoslavia men's volleyball squad – 2000 Summer Olympics – Gold medal | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Poland squad – 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship – Silver medal | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Poland men's volleyball squad – 2023 CEV European Championship – Gold medal | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Poland men's volleyball squad – 2024 Summer Olympics – Silver medal | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
 Awards of Olympic Committee of Serbia  | |
|---|---|
| Sportsman of The Year |
|
| Sportswoman of The Year |
|
| Men's Team of The Year |
|
| Women's Team of The Year |
|
| Team Sport Athlete of The Year |
|
| Young Athlete of The Year |
|
| Coach of The Year |
|
| Polish Sports Personality of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Sportspersonality of The Year |
|
| Team of The Year |
|
| Coach of The Year |
|
| Members of the Volleyball Hall of Fame | |
|---|---|
| Players (men) |
|
| Players (women) |
|
| Coaches |
|
| Officials | |
| Leaders |
|
- 1973 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Zrenjanin
- Yugoslav men's volleyball players
- Serbia and Montenegro men's volleyball players
- Serbian men's volleyball players
- European champions for Serbia and Montenegro
- Serbian volleyball coaches
- Volleyball coaches of international teams
- Expatriate volleyball coaches
- Coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- Olympic volleyball players for Serbia and Montenegro
- Olympic volleyball players for Serbia
- Olympic medalists in volleyball
- Olympic gold medalists for Serbia and Montenegro
- Olympic bronze medalists for Serbia and Montenegro
- Volleyball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Volleyball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Volleyball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Volleyball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Serbian expatriate volleyball players in Italy
- Serbian expatriate volleyball players in Russia
- Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Poland
- ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle coaches
- Setters (volleyball)
- International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductees