# Zvonimir Šarlija

Zvonimir Šarlija (born 29 August 1996) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Cypriot First Division club Pafos, on loan from Hajduk Split.

## Career

Born in Koprivnica, Zvonimir Šarlija started practicing football at the local club NK Slaven Belupo, where his father used to play and captain the senior team. As per club practice, he was moved between Slaven and its feeder side NK Koprivnica. At the age of 18, he captained the club's fourth-tier reserve side, where he scored 2 goals in 22 matches, along with the U-19 side. Subsequently, he was loaned out by his club, first in 2015 to its third-tier feeder NK Koprivnica, scoring one goal in twenty appearances, then to second-tier NK Solin.
Back at Slaven Belupo in 2017, Šarlija gathered 49 caps for the senior side in all competitions.
On 29 June 2019, Slaven Belupo announced that Šarlija had moved to CSKA Moscow, with CSKA confirming the season-long loan deal, with the first option to buy, on 1 July. On 18 January 2020, CSKA Moscow confirmed that their loan deal with Šarlija had ended, and that he'd joined Kasımpaşa on loan for the remainder of the 2019/20 season with Kasımpaşa confining they had an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
On 31 August 2020, it was announced that Šarlija signed for Turkish club Ankaragücü. The reported fee was €350.000 .
On 30 July 2021, he signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos.
In the summer of 2023, Šarlija officially joined Hajduk Split on a four-year contract.

## Personal life

Šarlija's father Milan, originally from Jasenice near Zadar in Dalmatia captained Slaven Belupo, and later became the club's director for a while. His younger brother Lovro and cousin Ante are also former Slaven Belupo players, while his brother Luka is the club's spokesman. Šarlija is a lifelong Hajduk Split fan, having a tattoo of Ivica Hlevnjak-Bukle's legendary statement "Emocije su zajebane.".

## Career statistics

    As of 14 May 2023
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Solin (loan) | 2016–17 | 2. HNL | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 1 |
| Slaven Belupo | 2017–18 | Prva HNL | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| Slaven Belupo | 2018–19 | Prva HNL | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 |
| Slaven Belupo | Total | Total | 44 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 46 | 0 |
| CSKA Moscow (loan) | 2019–20 | Russian Premier League | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Kasımpaşa (loan) | 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 1 |
| Ankaragücü | 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 |
| Panathinaikos | 2021–22 | Super League Greece | 20 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 |
| Panathinaikos | 2022–23 | Super League Greece | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Panathinaikos | Total | Total | 41 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 163 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 3 |
* ↑ Includes Croatian Cup, Russian Cup, Turkish Cup, Greek Cup
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Europa Conference League

## Honours

Panathinaikos
* Greek Cup: 2021–22