Those were the days following the restoration of independence, filled with uncertainty and an exploration into the unknown. As the first selector from the unknown, he guided Montenegro’s water polo team to glory, reaching the pinnacle of European sports—a story that will echo through time.

The legendary coach Petar Porobić passed away today at the age of 67, yet his immense legacy in Montenegrin water polo and sports will continue to inspire future generations…

The gentleman from Kotor came equipped with extensive experience when he embarked on creating a European champion after 2006. He had been part of the professional staff under the renowned Yugoslav coaches Ratko Rudić and Nenad Manojlović and had led the former country independently to world gold in 2005.

Then, he ventured into the unknown with Montenegro. As a newly formed nation, Montenegro essentially had to start from scratch.

“At that moment, we didn’t even know if we would have the opportunity to enter the qualification process for the European Championship in Malaga and the Olympic Games in Beijing. We experienced complete uncertainty for three months,” Porobić recounted in the subsequent years following Malaga.

However, soon the news arrived that Montenegro was beginning its journey—starting from the ground up, with qualifications for the European Championship in Division B against teams of significantly lesser quality.

This led to the lower division European Championship in Manchester, which, while not on par with the A championship, was equally memorable, as it marked the beginning of Montenegrin water polo history in the English city known for football.

“I would say that this whole journey was pivotal in Malaga; it united the team,” Porobić stated.

Porobić recognized that he had forged a formidable team right after the first round of the European Championship in Andalusia, when his players triumphed over the host nation, Spain. From there, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, and Croatia (whom they had faced in the group stage) fell before the ‘Sharks,’ culminating in the grand final against Serbia on July 13, 2008.

“We demonstrated that we are part of water polo history—we even surprised ourselves. We emerged and became the best in Europe within just one year,” Porobić remarked after that unforgettable night in southern Spain.

Following Malaga, Porobić continued to lead Montenegro until 2011, later returning as an advisor to the then-young Vladimir Gojković ahead of the European Championship in Belgrade in 2016. The former player and coach from 2008 nearly conquered the continent once more in Serbia’s capital, where the ‘Sharks’ were narrowly defeated by the hosts in front of a packed Belgrade Arena.

Afterward, he worked abroad, intending to return to his native Kotor, Montenegro, and club Primorac this fall.

Sadly, that will not materialize, yet his legacy should serve as a guiding light for those involved in Montenegrin water polo in the future…

Montenegro will cherish both Manchester and Malaga, as well as the initial joy of recognizing “Montenegro” in sports broadcasts.

They will always remember the tremendous contributions of Petar Porobić to his country, and his memory will endure forever.

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