Ratko Rudić

Ratko Rudić was born in 1948 in Belgrade. He is one of the most successful water polo coaches in the history of the sport. He began his playing career with Belgrade’s “Partizan,” winning multiple national championships and the European Champions Cup. As a member of the Yugoslav national team, he competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Due to an injury, he ended his playing career early and began coaching in the late 1970s, quickly becoming synonymous with success. Rudić has coached the national teams of Yugoslavia, Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro, winning four Olympic gold medals—with Yugoslavia (1984, 1988), Italy (1992), and Croatia (2012). In addition, he has earned numerous World and European titles and around 70 medals from major international competitions, making him the most decorated coach in water polo history. He is known for his scientific approach to training and building a winning mentality. After retiring from coaching in 2020, he continued to work as a sports advisor and mentor. Rudić’s influence extends beyond sport—he is considered the creator of the modern school of water polo and one of the most important sports visionaries in this part of the world. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2007. The Croatian Olympic Committee named him Coach of the Year in Croatia in 2007 and 2012. He received the Croatian State Award for Sport Franjo Bučar in 2007 as an annual individual award and in 2012 as a lifetime achievement award. In 2012, the President of Croatia, Ivo Josipović, awarded him the Order of Duke Branimir with Necklace. In addition to water polo, Rudić also engages in painting.