Jan Žambůrek

Jan Žambůrek
Personal information
Full name Jan Žambůrek[1]
Date of birth (2001-02-13) 13 February 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Prague, Czech Republic[2]
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Heracles Almelo
Number 13
Youth career
2009–2015 Bohemians 1905
2015–2018 Slavia Prague
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Brentford 23 (0)
2020–2021 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 6 (0)
2022–2024 Viborg 35 (1)
2023–2024 → Slovan Liberec (loan) 23 (2)
2024– Heracles Almelo 7 (0)
International career
2016 Czech Republic U15 4 (0)
2016–2017 Czech Republic U16 14 (2)
2017–2018 Czech Republic U17 5 (1)
2018–2019 Czech Republic U18 13 (1)
2019–2020 Czech Republic U19 9 (1)
2021–2023 Czech Republic U21 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:08, 11 December 2024 (UTC)

Jan Žambůrek (born 13 February 2001) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Eredivisie club Heracles Almelo.

Žambůrek is a product of the Slavia Prague academy and made his professional breakthrough with Brentford in 2019. After falling out of favour, he transferred to Danish club Viborg in January 2022. After failing to establish himself and a season on loan in his home country with Slovan Liberec, Žambůrek transferred to Dutch club Heracles Almelo in 2024. He was capped by the Czech Republic at youth level.

Club career

Slavia Prague

A central midfielder, Žambůrek began his career in the academies at Bohemians 1905 and Slavia Prague and progressed to U19 level with the latter club.[3][4] He was a part of the U17 team which won the 2017–18 league and cup double and left the club in August 2018.[5]

Brentford

2018–19

On 9 August 2018, Žambůrek moved to England to sign a three-year contract with the B team at Championship club Brentford on a free transfer, with the option of a further year.[3] Žambůrek received his maiden call into the first team squad for a league match versus Hull City on 23 February 2019 and with the match safe at 5–1, he made the first senior appearance of his career as a late substitute for Saïd Benrahma.[6] The appearance made him the first player born in the 21st century to play a competitive match for the club.[7] He played out the season with the B team and was a part of the 2018–19 Middlesex Senior Cup-winning squad.[7]

2019–20

Žambůrek spent the 2019–20 pre-season with the first team group and after making two early-regular season appearances,[8][9] he signed a new four-year contract and was promoted into the first team squad.[10] By late October 2019, he had broken into the team as a regular substitute.[9] In January 2020, Žambůrek's performances at club and international level during 2019 were recognised with a runner-up finish in voting for the FACR's Young Player of the Year award.[7] He finished the season with 19 appearances, but did not feature in Brentford's unsuccessful playoff campaign.[9][11]

2020–2022

After making just two EFL Cup appearances during the first month of the 2020–21 season,[12] Žambůrek joined League One club Shrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the 2020–21 season.[13] He made 9 appearances before the loan was terminated on 11 January 2021.[14] Žambůrek made seven further appearances during the second half of the season.[12][14] Due to injury,[15][16] Žambůrek was not involved during Brentford's playoff campaign,[17] which culminated in promotion to the Premier League after victory in the 2021 Championship play-off final.[18] He made his return to match play as a half-time substitute during the B team's final 2021–22 pre-season friendly and remained with the team during the first half of the regular season.[15] Žambůrek transferred away from Brentford on 12 January 2022, after making 29 first team appearances during 3+1⁄2 years with the club.[19]

Viborg

On 12 January 2022, Žambůrek signed a 3+1⁄2-year contract with Danish Superliga club Viborg for an undisclosed fee.[19] The move reunited him with his former Brentford B head coach Lars Friis.[20] He ended the 2021–22 season with 14 appearances and was a member of the squad which qualified for the 2022–23 Europa Conference League second qualifying round via a playoff.[17][21] Žambůrek made 28 appearances and scored one goal during a 2022–23 season in which the club missed out on European qualification,[17] following defeat in the playoff.[22]

After seeing his playing time reduced due to an influx of new midfield signings,[23] Žambůrek joined Czech First League club Slovan Liberec on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season on 1 September 2023.[24] He made 26 appearances and scored two goals during a season which culminated in defeat in the division's Europa Conference League play-offs.[17][25] Žambůrek transferred away from Viborg in July 2024.[26]

Heracles Almelo

On 3 July 2024, Žambůrek moved to the Netherlands to sign a four-year contract with Eredivisie club Heracles Almelo for an undisclosed fee.[26][27] Following surgery on a knee injury,[28] he joined the matchday squad on 6 October 2024.[17]

International career

Žambůrek was capped by the Czech Republic at U15, U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 level.[29] He won his maiden U20 call-up for a friendly versus Slovakia on 5 September 2020,[30] but was released from the squad prior to the match.[31] Žambůrek was named as standby for the U21 team's 2021 European U21 Championship qualifier versus Greece on 13 November 2020,[32] but he was not named in the matchday squad.[33] In March 2021, he was named as a standby for the Czechs' 2021 UEFA European U21 Championship tournament finals squad.[34] Žambůrek won his first full U21 call up for a pair of 2023 European U21 Championship qualifiers versus Kosovo in October 2021 and started in both matches.[29][35] Žambůrek was named in the Czechs' 2023 UEFA European U21 Championship finals squad and he started in each of the team's matches prior to its group stage exit.[29][36] He finished his U21 career with 15 caps.[29]

Personal life

After joining Brentford, Žambůrek enrolled at West Thames College.[37]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 2018–19[6] Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 ― ― 1 0
2019–20[9] Championship 16 0 2 0 1 0 ― 0 0 19 0
2020–21[12] Championship 6 0 1 0 2 0 ― 0 0 9 0
Total 23 0 3 0 3 0 ― 0 0 29 0
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2020–21[12] League One 6 0 ― ― ― 3[c] 0 9 0
Viborg FF 2021–22[17] Danish Superliga 13 0 ― ― ― 1[d] 0 14 0
2022–23[17] Danish Superliga 19 1 3 0 ― 6[e] 0 0 0 28 1
2023–24[17] Danish Superliga 3 0 0 0 ― ― ― 3 0
Total 35 1 3 0 ― 6 0 1 0 45 1
Slovan Liberec (loan) 2023–24[17] Czech First League 23 2 2 0 ― ― 1[f] 0 26 2
Heracles Almelo 2024–25[17] Eredivisie 7 0 0 0 ― ― ― 7 0
Career total 94 3 8 0 3 0 6 0 5 0 116 3
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup, Danish Cup, Czech Cup, KNVB Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in EFL Trophy
  4. ^ Appearance in Danish Superliga European play-offs
  5. ^ Appearances in Europa Conference League
  6. ^ Appearance in Czech First League European play-offs

Honours

Brentford B

Czech Republic U18

  • SportChain Cup: 2019[38]

References

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Brentford" (PDF). English Football League. p. 12. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Jan Zamburek – Player Profile – Football". Eurosport UK. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Jan Zamburek signs for Brentford B from Slavia Praha". Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Virtuální Ďolíček". oficiální stránky Bohemians Praha 1905 (in Czech). 7 May 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. ^ "U17: Československý pohár pro Slavii!". SK Slavia Praha (in Czech). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Games played by Jan Žambůrek in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d "Jan Žambůrek runner-up in Czech Young Player of the Year award". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  8. ^ ""After every session we are better and better"". brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d "Games played by Jan Žambůrek in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Jan Žambůrek promoted to First Team squad as he pens long-term deal". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Brentford 1 Fulham 2". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d "Games played by Jan Žambůrek in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Jan Žambůrek heads to Shrewsbury Town on season-long loan". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Jan Žambůrek returns from Shrewsbury Town loan". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Eastleigh 0 Brentford B 1". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  16. ^ "🐶🦿". instagram.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Jan Žambůrek at Soccerway. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Bees beat Swans to reach Premier League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Jan Žambůrek joins Viborg". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  20. ^ "VFF henter tjekkisk U21-landsholdsspiller". Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S (in Danish). Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Viborg tager europæisk billet". TV 2 (in Danish). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  22. ^ Mogensen, Jacob Thorsager. "Nederlag i Europa Playoff". Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S (in Danish). Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Jan Zamburek udlejes til FC Slovan Liberec". Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S (in Danish). Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Slovan posiluje střed pole, přichází Jan Žambůrek". FC Slovan Liberec (in Czech). Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Summary – Czech Liga – Czechia – Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  26. ^ a b "Jan Zamburek solgt til Heracles". Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S (in Danish). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  27. ^ "Heracles Almelo neemt Jan Žambůrek over van Viborg FF". Heracles Almelo (in Dutch). 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  28. ^ "'Als Hoogma besluit Limbombe nog een kans te geven, wat zegt dat dan over de geloofwaardigheid van Van de Looi?'". Tubantia (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  29. ^ a b c d "Jan Žambůrek | Reprezentace". Fotbal.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  30. ^ "Jan Zamburek earns maiden call-up for Czech Republic Under-20s". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  31. ^ "Nine players gearing up for international action this weekend". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  32. ^ "International action begins today across Europe and Africa". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  33. ^ "Greece U21 vs. Czech Republic U21 – 13 November 2020". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Jan Žambůrek on standby for Under-21 Championships". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  35. ^ "Jan Žambůrek earns maiden Czech Republic Under-21 Call-Up". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  36. ^ "Žambůrek před Anglií: Zápasy z kvalifikace nám mohou jen pomoct | Reprezentace". Fotbal.cz (in Czech). 21 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  37. ^ "Hounslow students playing for Brentford FC". Your Local Guardian. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  38. ^ "Jan Žambůrek on international duty next week". brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.