Handball Great Ivano Balić Plays His Last Game

One of the greatest handball players in the history of the game, Croatian Ivano Balić, has said goodbye to the sport last night…

Balić (36) played his last game of handball for his German club side Wetzlar against Goppingen on Friday night. Balić finished his last season with the Bundesliga’s highest number of assists.

Balić, who was both a world and Olympic champion with Croatia, is widely considered by experts and fans to be one of the best handball players of all time. He was voted 5 times in a row as the most valuable player in major international competitions, and is one of only two handball players who received the IHF World Player of the Year award on two occasions (2003, 2006).

In the 2008 European Men’s Handball Championship he was the equal top scorer with 44 goals as he led Croatia to a silver medal and was also voted to the All-Star Team of the tournament. Balić will go down as one of the greats of Croatian sport.

(photo credit / wikimedia)