Ivano Balić

Ivano Balić ( pronounced [ǐʋano bǎːlitɕ, - bǎ-]; born 1 April 1979) is a Croatian former professional handballer who is currently part of the coaching staff at RK Split. Renowned for his speed, creativity, movement and charisma as a player, Balić won the 2003 World Championship and the Olympic gold medal in 2004 with the Croatian national team, and thirteen titles playing for clubs in Croatia, Spain and Germany. He also earned two World Championship silver medals (2005, 2009), two European Championship silver medals and one bronze medal (2008, 2010, 2012), and one Olympic bronze medal (2012) with the national team. He is widely considered one of the greatest Handball players of all time and has been nicknamed "Rukometni Mozart" ("Handball Mozart").

Balić was voted the most valuable player in five consecutive major international competitions and is one of only five male handball players to receive the IHF World Player of the Year award on more than one occasion (2003, 2006). In 2010, he was voted the best handball player in history in an online poll organized by the International Handball Federation (IHF). Balić was inducted into the European Handball Hall of Fame in 2023.