Zajko Zeba

{{Short description|Bosnian footballer (born 1983)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Zajko Zeba | image = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|05|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia | height = 1.75 m | currentclub = | position = Attacking midfielder | youthyears1 = 2000–2002 | youthclubs1 = Željezničar | years1 = 2002–2003 | clubs1 = Olimpik | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2003–2004 | clubs2 = Brotnjo | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 2 | years3 = 2004 | clubs3 = → Željezničar (loan) | caps3 = 14 | goals3 = 3 | years4 = 2004–2005 | clubs4 = Zrinjski Mostar | caps4 = 22 | goals4 = 6 | years5 = 2005–2006 | clubs5 = Maribor | caps5 = 43 | goals5 = 10 | years6 = 2007–2009 | clubs6 = KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny | caps6 = 83 | goals6 = 21 | years7 = 2010 | clubs7 = Alania Vladikavkaz | caps7 = 0 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2010–2012 | clubs8 = Željezničar | caps8 = 68 | goals8 = 20 | years9 = 2012–2013 | clubs9 = RNK Split | caps9 = 4 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 2013 | clubs10 = Olimpija Ljubljana | caps10 = 8 | goals10 = 1 | years11 = 2014 | clubs11 = Olimpik | caps11 = 9 | goals11 = 1 | years12 = 2014–2015 | clubs12 = Shkëndija | caps12 = 17 | goals12 = 2 | years13 = 2015–2016 | clubs13 = Sloboda Tuzla | caps13 = 49 | goals13 = 16 | years14 = 2016–2018 | clubs14 = Željezničar | caps14 = 29 | goals14 = 5 | years15 = 2019–2020 | clubs15 = Olimpik | caps15 = 37 | goals15 = 8 | years16 = 2020–2021 | clubs16 = Igman Konjic | caps16 = 13 | goals16 = 2 | totalcaps = 410 | totalgoals = 97 | nationalyears1 = 2005–2007 | nationalteam1 = Bosnia and Herzegovina | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2018 | managerclubs1 = Željezničar (assistant) }} '''Zajko Zeba''' (born 22 May 1983) is a Bosnian former professional footballer. He was part of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team from 2005 to 2007.

During late 2018, Zeba also worked as a manager, holding the role of assistant manager at Željezničar and then as the club's youth team coach, after which he came out of retirement.

==Club career== Born in Sarajevo, Zeba started his career at hometown club Željezničar. He played for the youth sides, but never got an opportunity to play for the first team, so he moved to Olimpik. His performances produced interest from stronger teams in Bosnia and Herzegovina and resulted in a transfer to Brotnjo. In 2004, Željezničar officials brought Zeba back to his childhood club on loan, but after only several months, as a result of new disagreements, he signed a contract with Zrinjski Mostar.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

His first foreign club was Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor. Then, he went to the Russian Football National League where he played for KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny. After a short period in Alania Vladikavkaz, Zeba came back to Željezničar, the club in which he had started his football career. In his third spell with Željezničar, Zeba won one league title, two cups and was named the 2011–12 Bosnian Premier League Player of the Season. In December 2012, he left Željezničar and went to RNK Split.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bljesak.info/sport/flash/zajko-zeba-potpisao-za-hnk-split/25589|title=Zajko Zeba potpisao za RNK Split|date=18 December 2012|access-date=18 December 2012|language=bs|publisher=bljesak.info}}</ref>

After coming back to Bosnia in early 2015, and signing with Sloboda Tuzla, he became the team captain the following season, and helped the team in winning the autumn part of the 2015–16 Bosnian Premier League season. At the end of the season, Zeba was named as the best player of the 2015–16 season in the Bosnian Premier League.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nfsbih.ba/vijesti/zajko-zeba-najbolji-igrac-bh-telecom-premijer-lige-bih/|title=Zajko Zeba najbolji igrač BH Telecom Premijer lige BiH|date=22 May 2016|access-date=22 December 2018|language=bs|publisher=Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina}}</ref> In November 2016, he returned to Željezničar but he couldn't play for the club until 2017. In 2018, he won the Bosnian Cup with Željezničar and shortly after he retired at the age of 34.<ref>[https://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/zajko-zeba-se-oprostio-od-navijaca-zeljeznicara-i-zavrsio-karijeru/180519055 Zajko Zeba se oprostio od navijača Željezničara i završio karijeru] at klix.ba, 19 May 2018</ref>

On 20 December 2018, Zeba came out of retirement and for the third time in his career signed with Olimpik.<ref>[https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/zeba-se-vratio-iz-mirovine-po-treci-put-obukao-dres-olimpika/300648 Zeba se vratio iz mirovine, po treći put obukao dres Olimpika] at sportsport.ba, 20 December 2018</ref> He scored his first goal after coming back to Olimpik on 9 March 2019, in a 1–0 away win against Igman Konjic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sport1.oslobodjenje.ba/nize-lige-bih/fotovideo-zeba-eurogolom-donio-pobjedu-olimpiku-u-konjicu/148681|title=(FOTO/VIDEO) Zeba eurogolom donio pobjedu Olimpiku u Konjicu|date=9 March 2019|access-date=9 March 2019|language=bs|publisher=Sport1.ba}}</ref> On 26 May 2020, the 2019–20 First League of FBiH season ended abruptly due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina and, by default, Zeba with Olimpik were crowned league champions and got promoted back to the Bosnian Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/stigla-je-i-sluzbena-odluka-zavrsena-sezona-u-prvoj-ligi-fbih/362673|title=Stigla je i službena odluka: Završena sezona u Prvoj ligi FBiH!|date=26 May 2020|access-date=26 May 2020|language=bs|author=A. Čaušević|publisher=sportsport.ba}}</ref> He terminated his contract with the club on 22 September 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/zajko-zeba-vise-nije-igrac-olimpika/200922100|title=Zajko Zeba više nije igrač Olimpika|date=22 September 2020|access-date=22 September 2020|language=bs|author=K.H.|publisher=Klix.ba}}</ref>

One day after leaving Olimpik, on 23 September, Zeba signed with Igman Konjic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/zeba-i-zvanicno-u-igmanu-klub-iz-konjica-angazovao-i-novog-trenera/376483|title=Zeba i zvanično u Igmanu, klub iz Konjica angažovao i novog trenera|date=23 September 2020|access-date=23 September 2020|language=bs|author=E. Čaušević|publisher=sportsport.ba}}</ref> He made his debut only four days later, on 27 September, in a league match against Vis Simm-Bau.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/zeba-od-prve-minute-debituju-dva-trenera/376940|title=Zeba od prve minute, debituju dva trenera|date=27 September 2020|access-date=27 September 2020|language=bs|author=S. Mlaćo|publisher=sportsport.ba}}</ref> Zeba scored his first for Igman in a league game against Zvijezda Gradačac on 24 October 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/preokret-zvijezde-remi-slavena-i-travnika/379890|title=Preokret Zvijezde, remi Slavena i Travnika|date=24 October 2020|access-date=24 October 2020|language=bs|author=E. Škorić|publisher=sportsport.ba}}</ref>

==International career== Zeba made his debut for Bosnia and Herzegovina in an August 2005 friendly game away against Estonia and has earned a total of 5 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a September 2007 European Championship qualification against Moldova.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=23355|title=Player Database|website=eu-football.info|accessdate=2021-06-06}}</ref><ref name="NFT">{{cite web |title=Zajko Zeba |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/12041/Zajko_Zeba.html |website=www.national-football-teams.com |access-date=3 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

==Managerial career== ===Željezničar=== In June 2018, after announcing his retirement, Zeba was appointed as an assistant manager at Željezničar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://scsport.ba/krcmarevic-ce-iduce-sedmice-obaviti-prozivku-fudbalera-zelje-s-pomocnicima-zebom-i-ljubicicem/|title=Krčmarević će iduće sedmice obaviti prozivku fudbalera Želje s pomoćnicima Zebom i Ljubičićem|date=8 June 2019|access-date=8 June 2019|language=bs|publisher=scsport.ba|archive-date=23 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523104611/http://scsport.ba/krcmarevic-ce-iduce-sedmice-obaviti-prozivku-fudbalera-zelje-s-pomocnicima-zebom-i-ljubicicem/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 29 October 2018, after a string of poor results, it was announced that Zeba was dismissed of his position of assistant,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/uo-fk-zeljeznicar-podrzao-odovica-zamijenjeni-zeba-i-karic-prekrizeni-bogicevic-i-blagojevic/181029128|title=UO FK Željezničar podržao Odovića, zamijenjeni Zeba i Karić, prekriženi Bogičević i Blagojević|date=29 October 2018|access-date=29 October 2019|language=bs|author=D.B.|publisher=Klix.ba}}</ref> while a month later, on 21 November, was named as a coach of the youth selections at the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/zeba-i-karic-dobili-nove-funkcije-u-zeljeznicaru/297489|title=Zeba i Karić dobili nove funkcije u Željezničaru|date=21 November 2018|access-date=21 November 2018|language=bs|author=V. Vukmirović|publisher=sportsport.ba}}</ref>

In December 2018, Zeba left Željezničar after coming out of retirement and signing with Olimpik.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/zajko-zeba-skinuo-kopacke-s-klina-i-potpisao-za-olimpik/181220063|title=Zajko Zeba skinuo kopačke s klina i potpisao za Olimpik|date=20 December 2018|access-date=20 December 2018|language=bs|publisher=Klix.ba}}</ref>

==Career statistics== ===Club=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref name="soccerway">{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/zayko-zeba/27664/|title=Z. Zeba: Summary|access-date=29 May 2021|website=Soccerway|publisher=Perform Group}}</ref> |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !rowspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Brotnjo |2003–04 |Bosnian Premier League |14||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||2 |- |Željezničar |2003–04 |Bosnian Premier League |14||3||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||14||3 |- |Zrinjski Mostar |2004–05 |Bosnian Premier League |22||6||5||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||27||7 |- |rowspan="3"|Maribor |2005–06 |Slovenian PrvaLiga |26||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||28||4 |- |2006–07 |Slovenian PrvaLiga |17||6||2||0||7||3||colspan="2"|—||26||9 |- !colspan="2"|Total !43!!10!!4!!0!!7!!3!!colspan="2"|—!!54!!13 |- |rowspan="4"|KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny |2007 |Russian Football National League |33||12||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||12 |- |2008 |Russian Football National League |25||6||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||25||6 |- |2009 |Russian Football National League |25||3||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||26||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !83!!21!!1!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!84!!21 |- |Alania Vladikavkaz |2010 |Russian Premier League |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |rowspan="4"|Željezničar |2010–11 |Bosnian Premier League |27||11||4||6||2||0||colspan="2"|—||33||17 |- |2011–12 |Bosnian Premier League |29||7||6||1||4||0||colspan="2"|—||39||8 |- |2012–13 |Bosnian Premier League |12||2||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||15||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !68!!20!!11!!7!!8!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!87!!27 |- |RNK Split |2012–13 |1. HNL |4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||0 |- |Olimpija Ljubljana |2013–14 |Slovenian PrvaLiga |8||1||0||0||2||0||1{{efn|Appearance in Slovenian Supercup}}||0||11||1 |- |Olimpik |2013–14 |Bosnian Premier League |9||1||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||1 |- |Shkëndija |2014–15 |Macedonian First Football League |17||2||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||17||2 |- |rowspan="4"|Sloboda Tuzla |2014–15 |Bosnian Premier League |14||6||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||14||6 |- |2015–16 |Bosnian Premier League |27||10||5||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||32||11 |- |2016–17 |Bosnian Premier League |8||0||0||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||10||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !49!!16!!5!!1!!2!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!56!!17 |- |rowspan="3"|Željezničar |2016–17 |Bosnian Premier League |13||2||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||17||2 |- |2017–18 |Bosnian Premier League |16||3||1||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||21||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !29!!5!!5!!0!!4!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!38!!5 |- |rowspan="4"|Olimpik |2018–19 |First League of FBiH |15||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||1 |- |2019–20 |First League of FBiH |16||7||2||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||8 |- |2020–21 |Bosnian Premier League |6||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||6||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !37!!8!!2!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!39!!9 |- |Igman Konjic |2020–21 |First League of FBiH |13||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||14||1 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !410!!97!!37!!10!!23!!3!!1!!0!!471!!110 |} {{notelist}}

===International=== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name="NFT"/> |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=3|Bosnia and Herzegovina |- |2005||1||0 |- |2007||4||0 |- !colspan=2|Total||5||0 |}

==Honours== '''Zrinjski Mostar'''<ref name="soccerway"/> *Bosnian Premier League: 2004–05

'''Željezničar'''<ref name="soccerway"/> *Bosnian Premier League: 2011–12 *Bosnian Cup: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2017–18

'''Olimpik'''<ref name="soccerway"/> *First League of FBiH: 2019–20

'''Individual''' *Bosnian Premier League Player of the Season: 2011–12, 2015–16

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== *{{Sofascore|zajko-zeba/21736}}

{{Bosnian Premier League Player of the Season}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zeba, Zajko}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Sarajevo Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina men's footballers Category:21st-century Bosnia and Herzegovina sportsmen Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina men's international footballers Category:FK Olimpik players Category:HNK Brotnjo players Category:FK Željezničar Sarajevo players Category:HŠK Zrinjski Mostar players Category:NK Maribor players Category:FC KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny players Category:FC Spartak Vladikavkaz players Category:RNK Split players Category:NK Olimpija Ljubljana (2005) players Category:KF Shkëndija players Category:FK Sloboda Tuzla players Category:FK Igman Konjic players Category:First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina players Category:Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina players Category:Slovenian PrvaLiga players Category:Russian First League players Category:Croatian Football League players Category:Macedonian First Football League players Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Slovenia Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in Slovenia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in Russia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Croatia Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in Croatia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in North Macedonia Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in North Macedonia Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina football managers