Montenegro men's national volleyball team
# Montenegro men's national volleyball team

The Montenegro men's national volleyball team represents Montenegro in international men's volleyball competitions and friendly matches. The national volleyball team was formed in 2006, recently after independence. Montenegro has been a full member of FIVB and CEV since 2006.

Montenegro played their first official match on 1 September 2007 in Podgorica and won against Latvia (3–1).

Until 2017, at major tournaments, Montenegro played in FIVB World League and European League. Montenegro made main success at 2014, winning the gold medal in European League.

## History

Soon after the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, the Volleyball Federation of Montenegro founded national teams. The men's team started to play in 2007, with the first match against Latvia (3–1, Olympic Games qualifiers).

From 2007 to 2013, Montenegro played three times in European Championship qualifiers, but without significant success. At the same time, the team played two times in qualifiers for Olympic Games and once in qualifiers for World Championship.

First better result, Montenegrin team made at 2013, on their debut in European League. After 12 games, Montenegro won fifth place among 12 European teams. A year later, Montenegrin volleyball team made their major success until today, with the gold medal in European League 2014. In the finals, Montenegro won both games against Greece (3–1, 3–2).

After the result in European League, during summer 2015, Montenegro debuted in FIVB World League. As a member of Pool C, Montenegro won the group at first stage of World League and qualified for final tournament (Pool B promotion) in Bratislava. At semifinals, Montenegro eliminated China (3–1). In the final game, Montenegro lost against Egypt (2–3), so they didn't qualify for World League Pool B competition. In the end, Montenegro won 22nd position in 2015 FIVB World League.

A year later, Montenegro played in 2016 FIVB Volleyball World League, again in Pool C, but didn't make similar result as 2015. Montenegro finished World League season as a fourth-placed team in Pool C, but didn't qualify for the final tournament. The reason was that Germany, as a host nation, directly qualified for the finals.

In summer 2016, Montenegro played in the main round of 2017 Men's European Volleyball Championship qualification, but failed to qualify for the final tournament. Same result, Montenegrin team made in 2018 World Championship qualifiers, finishing as a third placed team in Group D.

Biggest success for Montenegrin team came at 2019. After the games against Slovakia, Moldova and Iceland, they qualified for European Championship 2019.

## Competitive record

Until now, Montenegro never played on World Championship or Olympic Games. They participated in European Volleyball Championship (2), FIVB Volleyball World League (3) and European Volleyball League (2). Biggest success of the team was gold medal at 2014 Men's European Volleyball League.

### Olympic Games

Montenegro men's national volleyball team played two times in the qualifiers for Olympic Games (2008, 2012), but never played at main competition.

| Summer Olympic Games | Summer Olympic Games | Summer Olympic Games | Summer Olympic Games | Summer Olympic Games | | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Year | Pos. | Pld | W | L | | Pld | W | L |
| 2008 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2012 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | | - | - | - |
| 2020 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | | - | - | - |
| Total | 0 / 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 8 | 5 | 3 |

## Head coaches

Since 2007, the national team of Montenegro has been led by six different head coaches. Most successful coach were Slobodan Boškan, who won the gold medal on European League with Montenegrin team and Veljko Bašić, who led Montenegro to 2019 European Volleyball Championship and 2021 European Volleyball Championship.

| Period | Coach | Score | Score | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007-2009 | Veselin Vuković | 12 | 6-6 | 50% |
| 2010-2011 | Rade Malević | 6 | 1-5 | 17% |
| 2011-2013 | Ivan Joksimović | 10 | 5-5 | 50% |
| 2013-2014 | Nikola Matijašević | 15 | 10-5 | 67% |
| 2014-2017 | Slobodan Boškan | 38 | 25-13 | 66% |
| 2017- | Veljko Bašić | 38 | 21-17 | 55% |

Sources:

* Statistics correct as of end 2021 European Volleyball Championship.

## Official matches

Montenengro played its first official match in September 2007. There is a list of official matches of the Montenegro men's national volleyball team.

### Opponents

Below is the list of performances of Montenegro men's national volleyball team against every opponent.

| Opponents' country | Pld | W | L | Sets (W-L) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Albania | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-1 |
| Azerbaijan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 12-1 |
| Bulgaria | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0-3 |
| Belarus | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0-3 |
| China | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-1 |
| Chinese Taipei | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4-4 |
| Croatia | 5 | 2 | 3 | 9-11 |
| Cyprus | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-1 |
| Czech Republic | 6 | 3 | 3 | 11-15 |
| Egypt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2-3 |
| Estonia | 8 | 2 | 6 | 12-20 |
| Finland | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2-6 |
| Germany | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3-14 |
| Georgia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6-0 |
| Greece | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20-12 |
| Hungary | 7 | 6 | 1 | 17-5 |
| Iceland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9-1 |
| Italy | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0-6 |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-0 |
| Kosovo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-0 |
| Latvia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6-3 |
| Luxembourg | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-0 |
| Macedonia | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10-9 |
| Mexico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6-2 |
| Moldova | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5-3 |
| Monaco | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-0 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4-8 |
| Norway | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6-0 |
| Poland | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9-11 |
| Puerto Rico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6-1 |
| Romania | 7 | 3 | 4 | 13-13 |
| Russia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0-3 |
| San Marino | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3-0 |
| Slovakia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3-3 |
| Slovenia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0-3 |
| Spain | 7 | 5 | 2 | 17-14 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6-0 |
| Tunisia | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13-8 |
| Turkey | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5-7 |
| Ukraine | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2-6 |
| Venezuela | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2-3 |
| Overall | 119 | 68 | 51 | 244-205 |

* Statistics correct as of end 2021 European Volleyball Championship.

## Current squad

The following is the Montenegrin roster in the 2017 World League.

Head coach: Veljko Basić

| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | Spike | Block | 2016–17 club |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Aleksandar Minić | 9 November 1986 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 103 kg (227 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Jakarta Pertamina Energi |
| 2 | Simo Dabović | 9 April 1987 | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 335 cm (132 in) | Sazman Omran Sari |
| 3 | Luka Babić | 7 July 1994 | 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) | 105 kg (231 lb) | 340 cm (130 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Chênois Genève |
| 4 | Gojko Ćuk | 10 October 1988 | 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) | 101 kg (223 lb) | 347 cm (137 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Nice |
| 5 | Rajko Strugar | 11 April 1995 | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | 335 cm (132 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Tours |
| 6 | Vojin Ćaćić (C) | 31 March 1990 | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | 101 kg (223 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 340 cm (130 in) | Bauchrieh Club |
| 7 | Nikola Radonić | 30 July 1994 | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 78 kg (172 lb) | 0 cm (0 in) | 0 cm (0 in) | |
| 8 | Nikola Lakčević | 14 July 1995 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 330 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (120 in) | Budvanska Rivijera Budva |
| 9 | Marko Bojić | 13 November 1988 | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 335 cm (132 in) | |
| 10 | Balša Radunović | 12 August 1992 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Teruel |
| 11 | Božidar Ćuk | 16 June 1992 | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 355 cm (140 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Stade Poitevin Poitiers |
| 12 | Slobodan Bojic | 11 August 1992 | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 335 cm (132 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Sfaxien |
| 13 | Bojan Strugar | 30 June 1995 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | 330 cm (130 in) | 325 cm (128 in) | Top Volley Latina |
| 14 | Blažo Milić | 22 November 1987 | 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 345 cm (136 in) | 335 cm (132 in) | Narbonne |
| 16 | Marko Vukašinović | 30 July 1993 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 348 cm (137 in) | 330 cm (130 in) | Näfels |
| 17 | Ivan Ječmenica | 17 March 1990 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | 350 cm (140 in) | 340 cm (130 in) | Cambrai |
| 18 | Miloš Ćulafić | 13 August 1986 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | 360 cm (140 in) | 340 cm (130 in) | Sazman Omran Sari |
| 19 | Ljubomir Popović | 14 November 1988 | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | 300 cm (120 in) | 295 cm (116 in) | Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje |
