Following unsuccessful 2011 World Championship, where Croatia came in fifth place, in 2012 Balić won two bronze medals with Croatia–at the European Championship in Serbia and at the Olympics in London. Prior to the 2013 World Championship in Spain, Balić was dropped from the national team by then head coach Slavko Goluža, thus he retired from the national team. After the match, there was a special ceremony dedicated to Balić. During the ceremony, Jackson Richardson, his handball idol, came to congratulate him on his career.