The International Handball Federation named Arpad Šterbik the World Player of the Year in 2005, a recognition of his status as a premier goalkeeper. Born in 1979 in Senta, Serbia, he developed a career that spanned multiple countries, including Hungary, Spain, and Macedonia, while securing numerous domestic league titles and continental club competition victories.
Early Career and Hungarian Tenure
Šterbik grew up in the town of Ada and began his professional handball career with RK Jugović. In 2001, he moved to Hungary to join Fotex KC Veszprém. Leveraging his status as an ethnic Hungarian, he acquired citizenship, which allowed him to bypass foreign player restrictions. During his tenure until 2004, he secured three Hungarian league titles and three Hungarian cup titles. He was named the Hungarian Handballer of the Year in 2002, the same year he reached the EHF Champions League final.
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Moving to Spain in 2004, Šterbik joined BM Ciudad Real, remaining with the club and its successor, Atlético Madrid, until 2012. Throughout this period, he established himself as a dominant presence in the Liga ASOBAL, winning the league title four times and the Copa del Rey twice. He earned the league MVP award in 2006 and was recognized as the best goalkeeper in the Liga ASOBAL for five consecutive years from 2006 to 2010. During his time in Spain, he also achieved three EHF Champions League titles.
Macedonian Period and International Play
After a stint with FC Barcelona Handbol starting in 2012, Šterbik joined RK Vardar in 2014. With the Macedonian club, he won four consecutive league titles and four consecutive cup titles between 2015 and 2018. Following his acquisition of Spanish citizenship in 2008, he represented Spain on the international stage, contributing to bronze medal finishes at the 2011 World Championships and a gold medal victory in 2013.
Fast facts
- Born: 1979, Senta, Serbia
- Citizenship: Serbia, Hungary, Spain
- IHF World Player of the Year: 2005
- Languages: Serbian, Hungarian, Spanish
- Spouse: Mónika Horváth
- Children: Laura and Noel
- EHF Hall of Fame: 2023
- Sister: Andrea Sterbik
Questions readers ask
What major international awards did Arpad Šterbik win?
He was named IHF World Player of the Year in 2005 and inducted into the European Handball Federation Hall of Fame in 2023.
Which countries did he represent at the international level?
He represented Spain following his naturalization in 2008, having previously competed for the national team of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Achievements
- Represented FC Barcelona Handbol, RK Vardar and Veszprém KC
- Competed at 2012 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics
- Discipline: handball
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