Slobodan Soro

{{Infobox sportsperson

| image = Slobodan Soro Rio 2016cr.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Soro playing for Brazil at the 2016 Olympics

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|23 December 1978}}

| birth_place = Novi Sad, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.98 m

| weight = 100 kg

| sport = Water polo

| coach = Ângelo Coelho

| club = Natació Sabadell (2006–08)

VK Partizan (2008–15)

Botafogo{{cite web |url=http://www.cob.org.br/pt/atletas/slobodan-soro |title=Slobodan Soro |website=COB.org.br |language=pt-br |publisher=Brazilian Olympic Committee |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-date=19 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919165211/https://www.cob.org.br/pt/atletas/slobodan-soro |url-status=dead }}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{SRB}} }}

{{MedalCountry|{{BRA}}}}

}}

Slobodan Soro (Serbian Cyrillic: Слободан Соро; born 23 December 1978) is a Serbian-born Brazilian water polo goalkeeper.

As a member of the Serbia men's national water polo team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics, he won the bronze medal in both of those Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Slobodan Soro |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/so/slobodan-soro-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204003214/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/so/slobodan-soro-1.html |archive-date=4 December 2016}} With Serbia he won the 2012 Men's European Water Polo Championship. It was his second gold medal in the competition. In 2011 he won the National Championship and National Cup of Serbia, LEN Euroleague, LEN Supercup and Eurointer League with Partizan Raiffeisen.

In 2015 he became a Brazilian naturalized citizen and was a member of the Brazil national team that competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics.{{cite web |url=http://olimpiadas.uol.com.br/noticias/2015/05/07/polo-aquatico-do-brasil-naturaliza-goleiro-campeao-mundial-pela-servia.htm |title=Polo aquático do Brasil naturaliza goleiro campeão mundial pela Sérvia |trans-title=Brazil's Water Polo naturalized the world champion goalkeeper by Serbia |language=pt |publisher=Universo Online |date=7 May 2015 |access-date=15 July 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cbda.org.br/cbda/poloaquatico/noticias/17573/selecoes-de-polo-definidas-feminina-viaja-para-a-espanha-nesta-sexta |title=Seleções de polo definidas |trans-title=Polo teams determined |language=pt |publisher=Brazilian Aquatic Sports Confederation |date=14 July 2016 |access-date=15 July 2016 |archive-date=21 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821010705/http://www.cbda.org.br/cbda/poloaquatico/noticias/17573/selecoes-de-polo-definidas-feminina-viaja-para-a-espanha-nesta-sexta |url-status=dead }} He was the top goalkeeper at the 2016 Olympics, with 81 saves.{{cite web |title=Official Results Book – 2016 Olympic Games – Water Polo |url=https://library.olympic.org/Default/digitalCollection/DigitalCollectionAttachmentDownloadHandler.ashx?parentDocumentId=165312&documentId=165323 |website=olympic.org |publisher=IOC |format=PDF |page=102 |access-date=20 June 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218145826/https://library.olympic.org/Default/digitalCollection/DigitalCollectionAttachmentDownloadHandler.ashx?parentDocumentId=165312&documentId=165323 |archive-date=18 December 2018}}

Club career

Slobodan Soro played for numerus clubs, including VK Vojvodina, VK Beograd, VK Bečej, VK Dinamo, PVK Jadran, VK Partizan, Rari Nantes Savona, CN Sabadell, CR Flamengo, Shturm 2002, Botafogo and now S.S. Lazio.

=VK Partizan=

In July 2010, the goalkeeper of VK Partizan and Serbian national team, signed a new two-year contract with Serbian champions. Partizan had financial problems, so that at one time Soro's stay at the club was questioned, but in the end it was all denied by him signing a new contract.

National career

=2012 Samartzidis Cup=

From 9 to 11 January 2012. Soro competed with his national team on the Greek island of Chios in the Samaridis Cup which was more a like preparation tournament for the upcoming 2012 European Championship held in Eindhoven. He and his team-mates finished second behind the Montenegrins on goal difference. However, Soro was named as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.{{cite web |url=http://www.tanjug.rs/news/29801/serbias-water-polo-team-second-at-samaridis-cup.htm |title=Serbia second at Samaridis Cup |date=12 January 2012 |publisher=tanjug |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114110937/http://www.tanjug.rs/news/29801/serbias-water-polo-team-second-at-samaridis-cup.htm |archive-date=14 January 2012}}

=2012 Eindhoven=

On 16 January, at the European Championship Soro had a brilliant game making 14 saves in the first game in an 8–5 win against Spain. On 29 January, Soro won the European Championship with his national team beating in the final Montenegro by 9–8.{{cite web |url=http://www.waterpoloworld.com/News/tabid/169/ArticleId/1897/news.aspx |title=Serbia 2012 European champions |date=29 January 2012 |website=waterpoloworld.com |access-date=29 January 2012 |archive-date=14 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214200437/http://www.waterpoloworld.com/News/tabid/169/ArticleId/1897/news.aspx |url-status=dead }} Unlike in the semifinal game against Italy were Soro was substituted by Branislav Mitrović because of the poor play, he absolutely dominated on the goal of Serbia in the final match. This was his second gold and overall fourth European medal.