Montenegro men's national water polo team

Montenegro
FINA codeMNE
Nickname(s)Crnogorske ajkule
(Montenegrin Sharks)
AssociationWater Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro
ConfederationLEN (Europe)
Head coachDejan Savić
Asst coachEdward Bonello
Nenad Vukanić
CaptainPetar Tešanović
FINA ranking (since 2008)
Current6 (as of 12 April 2025)
Highest1 (2021)
Lowest6 (2009, 2017, 2019, 2025)
First international
Italy  10–11  Montenegro
(Trieste, Italy; December 2006)
Biggest win
Montenegro  30–3   Switzerland
(Kotor, Montenegro; March 2007)
Olympic Games (team statistics)
Appearances5 (first in 2008)
Best result4th (2008, 2012, 2016)
4-time Olympian(s)Predrag Jokić (2004–2016)
Top scorer(s)Aleksandar Ivović (38 goals, 2008–2016)
Most savesMiloš Šćepanović (160 saves, 2008–2016)
Top sprinter(s)Vjekoslav Pasković (21 sprints won, 2008–2016)
Flag bearer(s)Veljko Uskoković (2008)
Predrag Jokić (2016)
World Championship
Appearances10 (first in 2009)
Best result (2013)
World Cup
Appearances2 (first in 2014)
Best result5th (2025)
World League
Appearances13 (first in 2007)
Best result (2009, 2018, 2020–21)
European Championship
Appearances9 (first in 2008)
Best result (2008)
Mediterranean Games
Appearances3 (first in 2009)
Best result (2022)
Media
Websitewpolo.me (in Montenegrin)
Medal record
World Championship
2013 Barcelona Team
World League
2009 Podgorica
2018 Budapest
2020 Tbilisi
2010 Niš
2013 Chelyabinsk
2014 Dubai
European Championship
2008 Málaga
2012 Eindhoven
2016 Belgrade
2020 Budapest
Mediterranean Games
2018 Tarragona Team

The Montenegro men's national water polo team represents Montenegro in international men's water polo competitions, and is controlled by the Water Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro.

Prior history

Between 1918 and 1991, Montenegro was part of Yugoslavia, and its players participated in the Yugoslavia national water polo team. Between 1992 and 2006, it was part of FR Yugoslavia, later Serbia and Montenegro, so Montenegrin players played for those teams; Serbia is the sole successor to these countries so those results are recorded at Serbia national water polo team.[1]

After the referendum and Montenegro’s independence in 2006, the Montenegrin water polo team began competing in Division B. Before that, in December 2006, they played their first official match against Italy, which the Montenegrin players won 13–10.

Results

Olympic Games

Year[2] Position
2008 Beijing 4th
2012 London 4th
2016 Rio de Janeiro 4th
2020 Tokyo 8th
2024 Paris 9th
Total Qualified: 5/5

World Championship

Year[2] Position
2009 Rome 9th
2011 Shanghai 7th
2013 Barcelona
2015 Kazan 5th
2017 Budapest 5th
2019 Gwangju 10th
2022 Budapest 8th
2023 Fukuoka 8th
2024 Doha 8th
2025 Singapore 6th
Total Qualified: 10/10

FINA World Cup

Year[2] Position
2010 Oradea did not participate
2014 Almaty 7th
2018 Berlin did not participate
2023 Los Angeles group stage
2025 Podgorica 5th
Total Qualified: 3/5

FINA World League

Year[2] Position
2007 Berlin Preliminary round
2008 Genoa 4th
2009 Podgorica
2010 Niš
2011 Florence 5th
2012 Almaty did not participate
2013 Chelyabinsk
2014 Dubai
2015 Bergamo Preliminary round
2016 Huizhou Preliminary round
2017 Ruza did not participate
2018 Budapest
2019 Belgrade Preliminary round
2020 Tbilisi
2022 Strasbourg 6th
Total Participated: 15/20
Super Final: 9/13

European Championship

Year Position
2008 Malaga
2010 Zagreb 5th
2012 Eindhoven
2014 Budapest 4th
2016 Belgrade
2018 Barcelona 6th
2020 Budapest
2022 Split 7th
2024 Dubrovnik 6th
2026 Belgrade Qualified
Total Qualified: 10/10

Mediterranean Games

Year Position
2009 Pescara 5th
2013 Mersin Did not participate
2018 Tarragona
2022 Oran
Total Participated: 3/4

Team

Current squad

Roster for the 2025 World Championships.[3][4]

Head coach: Dejan Savić

  • 1 Petar Tešanović GK
  • 2 Dmitrii Kholod FP
  • 3 Đuro Radović FP
  • 4 Dimitrije Obradović FP
  • 5 Aljoša Macic FP
  • 6 Jovan Vujović FP
  • 7 Savo Ćetković FP
  • 8 Filip Gardašević FP
  • 9 Miroslav Perković FP
  • 10 Dušan Banićević FP
  • 11 Dušan Matković FP
  • 12 Vasilije Radović FP
  • 13 Lazar Andrić GK
  • 14 Balša Vučković FP
  • 15 Strahinja Gojković FP

Coaches

Notable players

See also

Notes

  1. ^ one of Montenegrin athletes with the highest number of medals
  2. ^ first captain

References

  1. ^ "Water polo - Medallists and statistics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. pp. 4, 14, 25, 40, 48. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Men's Water Polo Team Roster MNE" (PDF). Omega Timing. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Men's Water Polo Team Roster MNE (2)" (PDF). Omega Timing. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.