Nikola Grbić

Nikola Grbić (; 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. 

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

See also
 Matches of Serbian men's volleyball national team conducted by Nikola Grbić

References

External links

 
 Coach profile at LegaVolley.it 
 Coach/Player profile at Volleybox.net
 Player profile at LegaVolley.it   
 Player profile at Volleyhall.org
 
 
 
 Sports-reference.com Profile (archived)

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 sports coaches
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
Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Expatriate volleyball players in Italy
Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
Expatriate volleyball players in Russia
Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Poland
ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle coaches
Setters (volleyball)