# Nikola Grbić

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 Champions League
** 2008–09 – with Trentino Volley
* 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

### As a coach

* CEV Champions League
** 2020–21 – with ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle
* 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

### 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

* 2024: Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland