Andrija PrlainoviÃÂ (; born 28 April 1987) is a Serbian professional water polo player widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. He was a member of the Serbia men's national water polo teams that won bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and gold medals in 2016 and 2020. He also held the world title in 2009 and 2015 and the European title in 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. In 2011, he won the LEN Euroleague with VK Partizan and in 2013 with Red Star Belgrade, where he was one of the best scorers.
PrlainoviÃÂ was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia and raised in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, where he came up through the PVK Jadran youth system.
He started his career in Jadran (2003âÂÂ2006), and then moved to Partizan Raiffeisen for five seasons (2006âÂÂ2011).
In 2011, he moved to the Italian Pro Recco but he spent only one season there as the club went bankrupt. He was then invited to return to Partizan but he decided to sign a contract with another Belgrade water polo club: Crvena Zvezda. Upon his arrival at Crvena zvezda he was made captain.
In June 2010, Fluminense triumphed in the Brazilian championship (in which a record number of foreign players (15) played that year), winning their fifth title. In the finals the team overcame Pinheiros, 13âÂÂ7. Prlainoviàscored two goals in the final.
On 17 September 2011, in the first round of the Adriatic League, Prlaionoviàscored a goal in an easy 14âÂÂ6 home win against PVK Jadran. In the second round on 24 September, he scored his second goal against in a 16âÂÂ4 home win. On 1 October Prlainoviàscored his second Adriatic goal in a 10âÂÂ7 away win against VK Jug CO. On 8 October in the Adriatic League fourth round, Prlainoviàand his team-mate and fellow countryman Pijetloviàwere the top scorers with each scoring three times in a 14âÂÂ8 away win against . Prlainoviàscored two goals in the fifth round on 15 October, in a 15âÂÂ8 home win against Primorje EB. On 22 October Prlainoviàscored two goals in the first round of the Euroleague Group in an easy 13âÂÂ5 win over Spartak Volgograd. On 26 October Prlainoviàscored another two goals in an easy 15âÂÂ5 away win against VK Jadran Split, but this time in the sixth round of the Adriatic League. On 29 October he scored a goal in the Adriatic League seventh round 13âÂÂ9 home win against Mladost. On 9 November Prlainoviàscored three goals in the second round of the Euroleague, in a 13âÂÂ4 away victory against . On 26 November Prlainoviàscored two goals in the Euroleague third round, in a 10âÂÂ8 win against VK Jadran Herceg Novi. On 30 November he scored another two goals, but in the eleventh round Adriatic League 16âÂÂ1 away win over VK Primorac. Prlainoviàmanaged to score just one goal on 3 December in a humiliating 21âÂÂ0 defeat over POà  K in the twelfth round of the Adriatic League. In the thirteenth round on 10 December, Prlainoviàscored three goals against VK Mornar Split in a 20âÂÂ8 away win. Prlainoviàscored three goals on 14 December in the fourth round of the Euroleague, in a 14âÂÂ9 away win against VK Jadran HN. The third goal was his 10th of the tournament. On 8 February 2012. in the fifth round of the Euroleague, Prlainoviàscored a goal in a 15âÂÂ7 win against CN Marseille. 3 days later he scored two goals in Adriatic League fifteenth round 9âÂÂ8 home win against Jug CO. On 25 February, in the last round of the Euroleague group stage, Prlainoviàscored three goals in the 18âÂÂ7 away win against Spartak Volgograd. Four days later, Prlainoviàscored another three goals but in the Adriatic League fourteenth-round game behind, in a 21âÂÂ5 easy home win over Mornar BS. On 3 March Prlainoviàscored a goal in a 12âÂÂ7 Adriatic League away win against Mladost.
Prlainoviàscored his first two goals at the European Championship on 17 January against Germany in a second game which the Serbs won by 13âÂÂ12. He also scored a goal in a third game on 19 January, in a great 15âÂÂ12 victory for his country against the defending European champions Croatia. On 21 January in the fourth match, Prlainoviàscored three goals for his national team in a routine victory against Romania 14âÂÂ5. On 23 January, Prlainoviàscored a goal in the last round of group A, in which Serbia lost to Montenegro with 11âÂÂ7. On 27 January Prlainoviàscored a goal in a semifinal 12âÂÂ8 victory over Italy. Andrija Prlainoviàwon the 2012 European Championship on 29 January. He scored a goal in the final against Montenegro which his national team won by 9âÂÂ8. This was his second gold medal at the European Championships.
He was part of the Serbian 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympic teams which won two gold and two bronze medals. He was the top goalscorer at the 2012 Olympics, with 22 goals.
PrlainoviÃÂ is married to Ivana Culjkovic and has a daughter Djurdja.