Seven editions. One Final Six appearance. Still searching for a first VNL medal.
Serbia in the VNL — A Traditional Power Still Searching for a Breakthrough
Serbia entered the Volleyball Nations League with one of the strongest international pedigrees in men’s volleyball. The national programme inherited the legacy of the Yugoslav teams, including Olympic gold in 2000, and added a World League title in 2016 and European Championship victories in 2011 and 2019.
That history has never translated into a VNL medal. Serbia reached the inaugural Final Six in 2018 and finished fifth, but they have not returned to the Finals since. A sixth-place league finish in 2021 briefly restored momentum before the team slipped to 11th, ninth, 10th and finally 16th overall across the next four completed editions.
The pattern is more uneven than a simple year-by-year decline, but the direction is clear: Serbia have moved away from the competition’s medal places while changing coaches and generations. This guide covers every completed VNL campaign through 2025, the players who produced the biggest moments, and the rebuild now led by Romanian coach Gheorghe Crețu.
Quick Facts
| Category | Record |
|---|---|
| VNL editions competed | 7 (2018, 2019, 2021–2025) |
| VNL titles / medals | 0 / 0 |
| Best VNL finish | 5th place — 2018 Final Six |
| Only VNL Finals appearance | 2018 — Lille, France |
| Best finish after 2018 | 6th place — 2021 |
| Worst final standing | 16th overall — 2025 |
| Head coach (2025–present) | Gheorghe Crețu |
| Most VNL editions coached | Igor Kolaković — 3 (2022–2024) |
| Standout match performance | Dražen Luburić — 33 points vs Netherlands (2021) |
| Longevity milestone | Marko Podraščanin — 300th Serbia cap during VNL 2021 |
Serbia VNL Results by Year
| Year | Final Standing | Result / Finals Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 5th | Reached the inaugural Final Six in Lille |
| 2019 | 11th | Did not reach the Final Six |
| 2020 | — | Tournament cancelled because of COVID-19 |
| 2021 | 6th | Missed the four-team Finals |
| 2022 | 11th | Did not reach the quarterfinals |
| 2023 | 9th | Missed the quarterfinals by one place |
| 2024 | 10th | Did not reach the quarterfinals |
| 2025 | 16th overall | 15th in Preliminary Phase; did not reach Finals |
Season-by-Season History
2018 — A Final Six Appearance at the First Attempt
The first VNL arrived only two years after Serbia won the final edition of the FIVB World League. With Nikola Grbić in charge and much of the established senior core still available, Serbia qualified for the six-team Finals in Lille.
They were drawn with hosts France and Brazil in the Final Six pool. Serbia did not advance to the semifinals, but the official final standings placed them fifth — their best VNL finish and, through 2025, their only appearance in the competition’s Finals.
The campaign established an early expectation that Serbia would remain part of the medal conversation. Instead, fifth place became a benchmark the team would not match again.
Final result: 5th place. Reached the Final Six in Lille.
2019 — A Sharp Drop to 11th
Serbia could not build on the inaugural season. They fell to 11th place and finished well outside the six qualifying positions for the Finals in Chicago.
Lazar Ćirović led Serbia’s scorers with 127 points, but the campaign lacked the consistency needed to stay close to the leading teams. It also became Nikola Grbić’s final VNL season in charge; he left the national team in August 2019.
Slobodan Kovač succeeded him and immediately guided Serbia to the European Championship title later that year. At VNL level, however, the drop from fifth to 11th showed how quickly the tournament’s depth could punish an uneven campaign.
Final result: 11th place. Did not reach the Final Six.
2020–2021 — Cancellation, Then a Sixth-Place Rebound
The 2020 VNL was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the competition returned in a single-site bubble in Rimini in 2021, Serbia recovered much of the competitiveness missing two years earlier.
Under Kovač, they finished sixth in the 16-team round robin. Only the top four advanced to the semifinals, and Serbia’s hopes ended on the final competition day after they lost to Canada despite taking the first two sets.
The tournament still produced several lasting individual moments. Dražen Luburić scored 33 points in a five-set win over the Netherlands. Marko Podraščanin celebrated his 300th national-team appearance with eight blocks against Iran, tying the VNL single-match record at the time. In another memorable statistic, Poland’s Wilfredo León served 13 aces against Serbia — a men’s VNL record.
Final result: 6th place. Missed the four-team Finals.
2022 — The New Format, but No Quarterfinal
The VNL changed format in 2022, introducing an eight-team knockout Finals after a 12-match Preliminary Phase. Igor Kolaković returned as head coach, but Serbia could not take advantage of the wider qualification field.
They finished 11th with a 5–7 record and 14 points. Serbia remained in the Finals race entering the last competition week, but they did not collect enough wins to move into the top eight.
The result began a run of four consecutive seasons outside the knockout stage and shifted the team’s VNL identity from occasional contender to mid-table challenger.
Final result: 11th place. Preliminary Phase: 5–7, 14 points.
2023 — Ninth and One Place Short
Serbia improved to ninth in 2023 and came closer to the quarterfinals than in any other edition under the eight-team format. Their 6–6 record and 16 points left them directly behind defending champions France, who claimed the eighth and final Finals place.
The campaign included an impressive straight-set victory over Poland in Nagoya. Captain Dražen Luburić led that match with 19 points, while Miran Kujundžić added 15 as Serbia defeated the eventual champions 3–0.
That result showed the level Serbia could still reach in individual matches. Across the full Preliminary Phase, however, they again lacked the consistency required for qualification.
Final result: 9th place. Preliminary Phase: 6–6, 16 points.
2024 — Tenth Place, but an Olympic Return
The 2024 VNL carried significance beyond the tournament itself because the final available places at the Paris Olympics were determined through the FIVB World Ranking after the Preliminary Phase.
Serbia finished 10th in the VNL with five wins and 17 points, again outside the quarterfinal positions. The campaign nevertheless generated enough ranking value for Serbia to remain among the highest-ranked teams not already qualified for Paris.
The Olympic place was not awarded directly for finishing 10th in the VNL. It came through the World Ranking, to which every VNL result contributed. Serbia therefore returned to the Olympic Games for the first time since London 2012 after missing Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Final result: 10th place. Preliminary Phase: 5–7, 17 points.
2025 — A New Coach and the Lowest Final Ranking
Gheorghe Crețu was appointed in January 2025 to replace Kolaković and begin a new cycle. The Romanian introduced a younger group and started a generational transition after several seasons built around the same veteran core.
The immediate results were difficult. Serbia won three of 12 matches and collected 10 points, finishing 15th in the Preliminary Phase. They did not qualify for the Finals.
The official final standings list Serbia 16th overall. Finals hosts China had finished below them in the Preliminary Phase but received the host berth, reached the quarterfinals and were placed eighth in the final classification. That moved Serbia down one position in the season-ending table.
Sixteenth was Serbia’s lowest final VNL ranking through 2025 and underlined the scale of the rebuilding task facing Crețu.
Final result: 16th overall. Preliminary Phase: 15th, 3–9 and 10 points.
Key Players in Serbia’s VNL History
Uroš Kovačević (Outside Hitter)
Kovačević has been one of the main links between Serbia’s World League success and the VNL era. A complete outside hitter who contributes in attack, reception and defence, he was central to the early campaigns and later became MVP of Serbia’s 2019 European Championship triumph. In the 2021 VNL he delivered 22 points in a four-set victory over the United States, one of Serbia’s strongest wins of that season.
Marko Podraščanin (Middle Blocker)
One of the longest-serving players in Serbian volleyball history, Podraščanin provided elite blocking and leadership across several VNL editions. His 2021 match against Iran combined two major milestones: his 300th appearance for Serbia and eight kill blocks, which tied the competition record at the time. His longevity made him a defining figure of the veteran core.
Dražen Luburić (Opposite)
Luburić was Serbia’s leading scorer in the inaugural 2018 VNL with 156 points and remained a major attacking option in later campaigns. His most memorable individual performance came in 2021, when he scored 33 points against the Netherlands and carried Serbia to a five-set victory. He also captained the team during parts of the 2023 cycle.
Aleksandar Atanasijević (Opposite)
Atanasijević was one of Serbia’s most recognisable scorers during the early VNL years. His powerful serve and high-volume attacking made him a natural focal point whenever he was available, and he was part of the squad that reached the inaugural Final Six in 2018. His international career represents the established generation Serbia has gradually moved beyond.
Signature Moment: Lille 2018 — Serbia Reach the Inaugural Final Six
Serbia finish 5th after qualifying for the first VNL Finals
The 2018 season remains the clearest example of Serbia competing at the top end of the VNL. The tournament had just replaced the World League, a competition Serbia had won only two years earlier, and Grbić’s squad adapted well enough to secure one of the six places in Lille.
The Finals brought a difficult pool against hosts France and Brazil. Serbia did not progress to the semifinals, but their fifth-place finish placed them among the competition’s leading group in the inaugural edition.
Every later Serbian campaign has been measured against that week. Sixth place in 2021 matched the numerical neighbourhood but did not include a Finals appearance, while the editions from 2022 onward all ended before the knockout stage. Lille therefore remains Serbia’s only VNL Finals experience and the high point of their record through 2025.
Head Coaches
| VNL Editions / Period | Coach | Nationality | Key Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–2019 | Nikola Grbić | Serbian | 5th in 2018; only Finals appearance |
| 2021 | Slobodan Kovač | Serbian | 6th in the Rimini round robin |
| 2022–2024 | Igor Kolaković | Montenegrin | 9th in 2023; Olympic qualification cycle |
| 2025–present | Gheorghe Crețu | Romanian | Began generational rebuild in 2025 |
Serbia’s VNL era has been divided among four coaches. Grbić led the first two editions, Kovač handled the 2021 return, and Kolaković coached three consecutive campaigns from 2022 to 2024 — more VNL editions than any other Serbia coach. Crețu took over in January 2025 after guiding Slovenia to fourth place at both the 2022 World Championship and the 2024 VNL.
Serbia VNL Records at a Glance
| Category | Record |
|---|---|
| Total VNL medals | 0 |
| Best final standing | 5th place — 2018 |
| Only VNL Finals appearance | 2018 Final Six — Lille |
| Best finish after 2018 | 6th place — 2021 |
| Best finish in the eight-team Finals era | 9th place — 2023 |
| Worst final standing | 16th overall — 2025 |
| Best single-match scoring performance | Dražen Luburić — 33 points vs Netherlands (2021) |
| Longevity milestone | Marko Podraščanin — 300th Serbia cap during VNL 2021 |
| Most VNL editions coached | Igor Kolaković — 3 (2022–2024) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Serbia ever won a men’s VNL medal?
No. Serbia did not win a medal in any of the seven completed men’s VNL editions from 2018 through 2025. Their best final position is fifth place in 2018.
What is Serbia’s best VNL finish?
Serbia’s best result is fifth place in the inaugural 2018 edition. They qualified for the Final Six in Lille but did not advance from their pool against France and Brazil.
Has Serbia reached the VNL quarterfinals?
Not under the eight-team knockout format used since 2022. Serbia finished 11th in 2022, ninth in 2023, 10th in 2024 and 16th overall in 2025. Their only VNL Finals appearance came under the six-team format in 2018.
Why are Serbia listed 16th in VNL 2025 after finishing 15th in the Preliminary Phase?
China finished below Serbia in the Preliminary Phase but advanced automatically as hosts of the Finals and ended eighth overall. When the final standings were compiled after the knockout stage, Serbia moved from 15th in the league table to 16th in the official final classification.
Did Serbia qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics through the VNL?
Not directly through their VNL position. Serbia qualified through the FIVB World Ranking after the 2024 VNL Preliminary Phase. Their VNL results affected that ranking, but 10th place in the competition did not itself award an Olympic berth.
Who is Serbia’s men’s national team coach?
Romanian coach Gheorghe Crețu has led Serbia since January 2025. He replaced Igor Kolaković and began a new cycle with a younger roster after previously taking Slovenia to the semifinals of the 2022 World Championship and the 2024 VNL.
Who are Serbia’s key VNL players?
Uroš Kovačević, Marko Podraščanin, Dražen Luburić and Aleksandar Atanasijević are among the most important figures in Serbia’s VNL history. Luburić owns the team’s standout scoring performance with 33 points against the Netherlands in 2021, while Podraščanin reached his 300th national-team appearance during the same edition.
Quick Summary
- Seven completed editions: Serbia participated in every men’s VNL from 2018 to 2025 except the cancelled 2020 tournament.
- No medal yet: Their best result is fifth place in 2018, when they reached the inaugural Final Six in Lille.
- A 2021 rebound: Serbia finished sixth in Rimini but missed the four-team Finals.
- Closest recent attempt: Ninth place in 2023 left Serbia one position outside the quarterfinals.
- Lowest final ranking: Serbia were 15th in the 2025 Preliminary Phase and 16th in the official final standings after hosts China advanced to the Finals.
- A new cycle: Gheorghe Crețu began a generational rebuild in 2025 after three VNL editions under Igor Kolaković.
Coverage note: This article covers completed men’s VNL editions through 2025. Results from the ongoing 2026 tournament are not included in the historical totals until the competition concludes.
Last updated: July 2026
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