Vladimir "Vanja" Grbić (; born 14 December 1970) is a Serbian former volleyball player and three-time Olympian. He is 193 cm and played as passer-side attacker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest volleyball players of all time, Grbić was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Career While playing with the national volleyball team of FR Yugoslavia, Grbić won a bronze medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics and a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. He competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics with the team of Serbia and Montenegro, finishing fifth.
The Yugoslav Olympic Committee declared Grbić the best sportsman of the year in 1996 and 2000. In 1999 and 2000, he received the Golden Badge, an award for the best athlete in Yugoslavia.
In his career, Grbić made 242 appearances for the national team until his retirement in 2009. Grbić was known for his powerful spikes and excellent passing on the volleyball court. He was also regarded as a sportsman of great character.
Personal life
Grbić's father, Miloš, also played volleyball and was a member of the Yugoslavian national team. His younger brother, Nikola, was also a volleyball player on the national team, and similarly is in the Hall of Fame. Grbić's wife, Sara, is a former karate world champion.
Clubs ClubCountryFromToMladost Zagreb19901991Vojvodina Novi Sad19911992Antonveneta Padova19921995Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo19951997São Paulo19971998Roma Volley19982001Osaka Blazers20012002P.A.O.K.20022003Dynamo Moscow20032004Andreoli Latina20042007Fenerbahçe Istanbul20072009
References
External links
Player profile at Fenerbahce.org (archived) Sports-reference.com profile (archived)