Jan Žambůrek
{{short description|Czech football midfielder}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jan Žambůrek
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Jan Žambůrek{{Cite web |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Brentford |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/202021/efl-squad-numbering-11.09.2020.pdf |access-date=19 September 2020 |publisher=English Football League |page=12}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|2|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Prague, Czech Republic{{Cite web |title=Jan Zamburek – Player Profile – Football |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/jan-zamburek_prs527690/person.shtml |access-date=15 January 2022 |website=Eurosport UK}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Heracles Almelo
| clubnumber = 13
| youthyears1 = 2009–2015
| youthclubs1 = Bohemians 1905
| youthyears2 = 2015–2018
| youthclubs2 = Slavia Prague
| years1 = 2018–2022
| clubs1 = Brentford
| caps1 = 23
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2020–2021
| clubs2 = → Shrewsbury Town (loan)
| caps2 = 6
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–2024
| clubs3 = Viborg
| caps3 = 35
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2023–2024
| clubs4 = → Slovan Liberec (loan)
| caps4 = 23
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2024–
| clubs5 = Heracles Almelo
| caps5 = 11
| goals5 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2016
| nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U15
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2016–2017
| nationalteam2 = Czech Republic U16
| nationalcaps2 = 14
| nationalgoals2 = 2
| nationalyears3 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam3 = Czech Republic U17
| nationalcaps3 = 5
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| nationalyears4 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam4 = Czech Republic U18
| nationalcaps4 = 13
| nationalgoals4 = 1
| nationalyears5 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam5 = Czech Republic U19
| nationalcaps5 = 9
| nationalgoals5 = 1
| nationalyears6 = 2021–2023
| nationalteam6 = Czech Republic U21
| nationalcaps6 = 15
| nationalgoals6 = 0
| club-update = 7 March 2025
}}
Jan Žambůrek (born 13 February 2001) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for {{Dutch football updater|HeraclesA}} 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.{{Cite news |title=Jan Zamburek signs for Brentford B from Slavia Praha |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/jan-zamburek-signs-for-brentford-b-from-slavia-praha_302999 |access-date=9 August 2018}}{{Cite web |date=7 May 2015 |title=Virtuální Ďolíček |url=https://www.bohemians.cz/hraci/jan-zamburek/656/30/3 |access-date=7 January 2020 |website=oficiální stránky Bohemians Praha 1905 |language=cs}} He was a part of the U17 team which won the 2017–18 league and cup double and left the club in August 2018.{{Cite web |title=U17: Československý pohár pro Slavii! |url=https://www.slavia.cz/zapas.asp?id=U17-Ceskoslovensky-pohar-pro-Slavii-2746 |access-date=9 August 2018 |website=SK Slavia Praha |language=cs}}
= 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. 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. The appearance made him the first player born in the 21st century to play a competitive match for the club.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek runner-up in Czech Young Player of the Year award |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/january/jan-zamburek-czech-fa-award/ |access-date=7 January 2020 |website=brentfordfc.com}} He played out the season with the B team and was a part of the 2018–19 Middlesex Senior Cup-winning squad.
== 2019–20 ==
Žambůrek spent the 2019–20 pre-season with the first team group and after making two early-regular season appearances,{{Cite web |title="After every session we are better and better" |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/july/jan-zamburek-interview/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830161009/https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/july/jan-zamburek-interview/ |archive-date=30 August 2019 |access-date=30 August 2019 |website=brentfordfc.com}} he signed a new four-year contract and was promoted into the first team squad.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek promoted to First Team squad as he pens long-term deal |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/august/jan-zamburek-contract/ |access-date=30 August 2019 |website=brentfordfc.com}} By late October 2019, he had broken into the team as a regular substitute. 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. He finished the season with 19 appearances, but did not feature in Brentford's unsuccessful playoff campaign.{{Cite web |title=Brentford 1 Fulham 2 |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/august/match-report-for-brentford-vs-fulham-on-04-aug-20/ |access-date=5 August 2020 |website=brentfordfc.com}}
== 2020–2022 ==
After making just two EFL Cup appearances during the first month of the 2020–21 season, Žambůrek joined League One club Shrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the 2020–21 season.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek heads to Shrewsbury Town on season-long loan |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/october/jan-zamburek-joins-shrewsbury-town-on-season-long-loan/ |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=brentfordfc.com}} He made 9 appearances before the loan was terminated on 11 January 2021. Žambůrek made seven further appearances during the second half of the season.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek returns from Shrewsbury Town loan |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2021/january/jan-ambrek-returns-from-shrewsbury-town-loan/ |access-date=11 January 2021 |website=brentfordfc.com}} Due to injury,{{Cite web |title=Eastleigh 0 Brentford B 1 |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2021/august/match-report-for-eastleigh-vs-brentford-on-20-aug-21/ |access-date=22 August 2021 |website=brentfordfc.com}}{{Cite web |title=🐶🦿 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8ZYQ7AVWy/ |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/zambyyy/2575044705549112754 |archive-date=25 December 2021 |access-date=22 August 2021 |website=instagram.com}}{{cbignore}} Žambůrek was not involved during Brentford's playoff campaign,{{Soccerway|id=542777|accessdate=30 May 2021}} which culminated in promotion to the Premier League after victory in the 2021 Championship play-off final.{{Cite news |title=Bees beat Swans to reach Premier League |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57215919 |access-date=30 May 2021}} 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. Žambůrek transferred away from Brentford on 12 January 2022, after making 29 first team appearances during {{frac|3|1|2}} years with the club.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek joins Viborg |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2022/january/jan-ambrek-joins-viborg/ |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=brentfordfc.com}}
= Viborg =
On 12 January 2022, Žambůrek signed a {{frac|3|1|2}}-year contract with Danish Superliga club Viborg for an undisclosed fee. The move reunited him with his former Brentford B head coach Lars Friis.{{Cite web |title=VFF henter tjekkisk U21-landsholdsspiller |url=https://www.vff.dk/nyhed/sport/12850-vff-henter-tjekkisk-u21-landsholdsspiller |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S |language=da-DK}} 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.{{Cite web |date=29 May 2022 |title=Viborg tager europæisk billet |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/fodbold/2022-05-29-viborg-tager-europaeisk-billet |access-date=3 June 2022 |website=TV 2 |language=da-DK}} Žambůrek made 28 appearances and scored one goal during a 2022–23 season in which the club missed out on European qualification, following defeat in the playoff.{{Cite web |last=Mogensen |first=Jacob Thorsager |title=Nederlag i Europa Playoff |url=https://www.vff.dk/nyhed/sport/13788-nederlag-i-europa-playoff |access-date=9 June 2023 |website=Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S |language=da-DK}}
After seeing his playing time reduced due to an influx of new midfield signings,{{Cite web |title=Jan Zamburek udlejes til FC Slovan Liberec |url=https://vff.dk/nyhed/sport/13929-jan-zamburek-udlejes-til-fc-slovan-liberec |access-date=1 September 2023 |website=Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S |language=da-DK}} Žambůrek joined Czech First League club Slovan Liberec on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season on 1 September 2023.{{Cite web |title=Slovan posiluje střed pole, přichází Jan Žambůrek |url=https://www.fcslovanliberec.cz/clanek.asp?id=Slovan-posiluje-stred-pole-prichazi-Jan-Zamburek-15243 |access-date=1 September 2023 |website=FC Slovan Liberec |language=Czech}} He made 26 appearances and scored two goals during a season which culminated in defeat in the division's Europa Conference League play-offs.{{Cite web |title=Summary – Czech Liga – Czechia – Results, fixtures, tables and news |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/czech-republic/czech-liga/20232024/s23475/final-stages/ |access-date=23 May 2024 |website=Soccerway}} Žambůrek transferred away from Viborg in July 2024.{{Cite web |title=Jan Zamburek solgt til Heracles |url=https://vff.dk/nyhed/sport/14452-jan-zamburek-solgt-til-heracles |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=Viborg F.F. Prof. Fodbold A/S |language=da-DK}}
= 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.{{Cite web |title=Heracles Almelo neemt Jan Žambůrek over van Viborg FF|url=https://www.heracles.nl/2024/07/03/heracles-almelo-neemt-jan-zamburek-over-van-viborg-ff/|access-date=3 July 2024 |website=Heracles Almelo|date=3 July 2024|language=nl}} Following surgery on a knee injury,{{Cite news |title='Als Hoogma besluit Limbombe nog een kans te geven, wat zegt dat dan over de geloofwaardigheid van Van de Looi?' |url=https://www.tubantia.nl/heracles/als-hoogma-besluit-limbombe-nog-een-kans-te-geven-wat-zegt-dat-dan-over-de-geloofwaardigheid-van-van-de-looi~a1a7c6ef/ |access-date=4 October 2024 |work=Tubantia |language=nl}} he joined the matchday squad on 6 October 2024.
International career
Žambůrek was capped by the Czech Republic at U15, U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 level.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek {{!}} Reprezentace |url=https://repre.fotbal.cz/hrac/hraci/44516 |access-date=9 August 2018 |website=Fotbal.cz |language=cs}} He won his maiden U20 call-up for a friendly versus Slovakia on 5 September 2020,{{Cite web |title=Jan Zamburek earns maiden call-up for Czech Republic Under-20s |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/august/jan-zamburek-earns-maiden-czech-under-20-call-up/ |access-date=26 August 2020 |website=brentfordfc.com}} but was released from the squad prior to the match.{{Cite web |title=Nine players gearing up for international action this weekend |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/september/international-preview/ |access-date=2 September 2020 |website=brentfordfc.com}} Žambůrek was named as standby for the U21 team's 2021 European U21 Championship qualifier versus Greece on 13 November 2020,{{Cite web |title=International action begins today across Europe and Africa |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/november/international-preview-november-2020/ |access-date=17 November 2020 |website=brentfordfc.com}} but he was not named in the matchday squad.{{Cite web |title=Greece U21 vs. Czech Republic U21 – 13 November 2020 |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/11/13/europe/uefa-u21-championship/greece-under-21/czech-republic-under-21/2978885/ |access-date=17 November 2020 |website=Soccerway}} In March 2021, he was named as a standby for the Czechs' 2021 UEFA European U21 Championship tournament finals squad.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek on standby for Under-21 Championships |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2021/march/jan-ambrek-on-standby-for-under-21-championships/ |access-date=17 March 2021 |website=brentfordfc.com}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Jan Žambůrek earns maiden Czech Republic Under-21 Call-Up |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2021/september/jan-ambrek-earns-maiden-czech-republic-under-21-call-up/ |access-date=30 September 2021 |website=brentfordfc.com}} 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.{{Cite web |date=21 June 2023 |title=Žambůrek před Anglií: Zápasy z kvalifikace nám mohou jen pomoct {{!}} Reprezentace |url=https://repre.fotbal.cz/zamburek-pred-anglii-zapasy-z-kvalifikace-nam-mohou-jen-pomoct/a18533 |access-date=22 June 2023 |website=Fotbal.cz |language=cs}} He finished his U21 career with 15 caps.
Personal life
After joining Brentford, Žambůrek enrolled at West Thames College.{{Cite web |date=17 April 2019 |title=Hounslow students playing for Brentford FC |url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/17580268.hounslow-students-playing-for-brentford-fc/ |access-date=18 April 2019 |website=Your Local Guardian}}
Career statistics
{{Updated|match played 2 March 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |National cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, Danish Cup, Czech Cup, KNVB Cup}} ! colspan="2" |League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup}} ! colspan="2" |Europe ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total |
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |
|---|
| rowspan="4" |Brentford
|2018–19{{Soccerbase season|id=118931|season=2018|accessdate=8 August 2018}} |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |1 |0 |
| 2019–20{{Soccerbase season|id=118931|season=2019|accessdate=3 August 2019}}
|Championship |16 |0 |2 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |― |0 |0 |19 |0 |
| 2020–21{{Soccerbase season|id=118931|season=2020|accessdate=6 September 2020}}
|Championship |6 |0 |1 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― |0 |0 |9 |0 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!23 !0 !3 !0 !3 !0 ! colspan="2" |― !0 !0 !29 !0 |
| Shrewsbury Town (loan)
|6 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |0 |9 |0 |
| rowspan="4" |Viborg FF
|13 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |1Appearance in Danish Superliga European play-offs |0 |14 |0 |
| 2022–23
|Danish Superliga |19 |1 |3 |0 | colspan="2" |― |6Appearances in Europa Conference League |0 |0 |0 |28 |1 |
| 2023–24
|Danish Superliga |3 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |3 |0 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!35 !1 !3 !0 ! colspan="2" |― !6 !0 !1 !0 !45 !1 |
| Slovan Liberec (loan)
|23 |2 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |1Appearance in Czech First League European play-offs |0 |26 |2 |
| Heracles Almelo
|11 |0 |4 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |15 |0 |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!98 !3 !13 !0 !3 !0 !6 !0 !5 !0 !125 !3 |
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{FAČR player|new_id=44516}}
- {{UEFA player|250108615}}
{{Heracles Almelo squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zamburek, Jan}}
Category:Czech men's footballers
Category:Czech expatriate men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Czech Republic men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Czech Republic men's youth international footballers
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:SK Slavia Prague players
Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark
Category:Czech expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Czech expatriate sportspeople in Denmark
Category:Footballers from Prague
Category:Danish Superliga players
Category:FC Slovan Liberec players
Category:Czech First League players
Category:Heracles Almelo players
Category:Czech expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands