Since claiming the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games, Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montenegro) has consistently been in the mix when it comes to medal contenders at international Men's Volleyball events.
Big, strong and fast, the Serbian side plays with a passion that is unrelenting and enjoys playing a game that is heavy on attack.
It is at the Olympics that Yugoslavia really showed what they were capable of over the years. After placing sixth in Moscow (1980), improving to third at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as a result of the team's hard work under the guidance of the tranquil-natured but steady-handed coach Zoran Gajic, they finally claimed the gold in Sydney 2000.
Veselin Vukovic replaced Gajic just prior to the 2002 World Championship in Argentina, where the Olympic champions finished a creditable fourth. Vukovic continued to lead Serbia and Montenegro through a stunning 2003 World League campaign, when they lost to Brazil in the finals . After failing to come to an agreement with the National Federation, Vukovic quit and was replaced by Ljuba Travica, who guided Serbia and Montenegro to a bronze-medal finish at the 2003 World Cup.
For many years, Serbian Team was led by the sure moves of the famous Grbic Brothers, Vladimir and Nikola, the devastating services of Goran Vujevic (elected best server in the 2006 FIVB World Championships), the stopping blocks of Andrija Geric and Djula Mešter, and in attack, the ruthless spikes of one of the best young volleyball players in the world, Ivan Miljkovic.
In 2005, Serbia and Montenegro had the great honor of organizing the World League Finals. In an incredible final in front of 18,140 spectators in the Belgrade Sports Hall ARENA, the hosts were eventually beaten by Brazil.
The year 2007 marked the first year the boys in blue became known as Serbia, and with a new roster and younger players, the team finished ninth in the World League, its worst-ever result at the event. They made up for the result though, by claiming silver at the 2007 European Championships in Russia.
By 2008, however, Serbia bounced back with some convincing performances, including a silver-medal finish at the 2008 World League, after falling in four sets to USA in the final match, and a respectable fifth at the Beijing Olympics after losing again to eventual champions USA in a gripping five-set quarterfinal.
Four years after the successful Final Tournament in 2005, Belgrade Arena witnessed another record with 22,860 spectators, and the third silver medal for the “Blue Boys†of Serbia.