Mirza Džomba

Mirza Džomba (born 28 February 1977) is a Croatian former professional handball player, World champion in 2003 and Olympic champion in 2004.

He played for RK Zamet, Badel 1862 Zagreb, Fotex Veszprém, BM Ciudad Real and Vive Targi Kielce before retiring in 2011.

He was also a member of the Croatia national team from 1997 to 2008. He holds the national team's top goal scorer record with 719 goals. He was part of the golden generation that won the 2003 World Championship and 2004 Summer Olympics.

He is noted by many critics as one of the best right wings ever. In 2013 Džomba was awarded the best right wing in the history of the EHF Champions League by the European Handball Federation.

Džomba has also played in six EHF Champions League finals while winning one with Ciudad Real. Among other awards, he was nominated three times for the IHF World Player of the Year award reaching third place in 2004 and 2005 and second place in 2006.

He is currently a handball pundit on RTL Television usually with former teammate Goran Šprem.

Early life

Džomba was born 28 February 1977 in Rijeka, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia. He is the son of Mirsada and Mensur Džomba. He has a brother, Amir, who is two years older.
He is of Bosniak origin. His parents are from Bosnia and Herzegovina, his father from Doboj and his mother from Bosanska Gradiška.

His talent was discovered by Veno Đonlić in Škurinje, in the former elementary school "Ivo Lola Ribar", today Elementary School "Škurinje". Later he joined RK Zamet where his first coach in youth selections was Vjekoslav Sardelić.

Club career

Zamet

Džomba began his senior career in RK Zamet. In 1994 Džomba had a great role in Zamet's U-17 squad getting a third place placement at the Croatian U-17 Championship. The same Džomba was called up by head coach of the senior team Drago Žiljak to in the second part of the 1993-94 season. The next season saw a coaching change in Zamet Ivan Munitić was appointed as head coach. Džomba was playing solidly the 1994-95 season but unfortunately Zamet was relegated at the end of the season finishing in 9th place.

The next season Žiljak was appointed as head coach again. Džomba helped Zamet gain promotion form the 1.B league back to the 1.A league. The same year he also helped his U-19 side win the Croatian U-19 Championship. At the tournament he was voted MVP and was the tournament's top scorer. Džomba also had a good Cup beating Metković in the Round of 16 but losing to a very strong Croatia Banka Zagreb in the quarter-finals. During the following 1996-97 season Džomba was a regular started in the first half of the season.

Badel 1862 Zagreb

In January 1997 Džomba transferred to RK Badel 1862 Zagreb.

Džomba won the league and cup that season. He also played in his first EHF Champions League finals losing to FC Barcelona in both matches (31:22, 30:23). He scored seven goals in the tournament.

After the beginning of the 1997-98 season in October Zagreb played in the EHF Champions Trophy. They qualified as the fourth club special EHF invitee. Zagreb played against Caja Cantabria Santander in the semi-final and won 21:32, Džomba scored three goals in the match. Zagreb played FC Barcelona in the final and lost 28:22. Džomba did not play in the final match. Džomba sparked two more domestic titles in 1998 winning the 1.A league with a strong lead only losing two games throughout the season and winning the Croatian Cup defeating RK Đakovo 37:25 in the final match.

The Champions League campaign had a similar result as last year a losing to FC Barcelona the first match 28:18 and in the second 28:22, 56:40 on aggregate. Džomba scored three goals in the first match.

The next league season began with new head coach Velimir Kljaić behind the bench. Džomba achieved his best season yet in 1999 scoring 23 goals in the Champions League and helping his dominant side to an easy league win. Unfortunately Zagreb lost another final to FC Barcelona having a draw of 22:22 in the first match in Zagreb and losing the second 18:29 in Barcelona. Džomba scored 4 goals during the first match but got suspended so he couldn't play the second. Zagreb also had a rough Cup finals defeating Medveščak Zagreb in a narrow win of 23:22.

At the start of the 1999-00 season Zdravko Zovko became head coach. Zagreb provided a solid domestic campaign as usual holding only two loses in the league. They provided a strong cup run as well defeating a strong Metković Jambo in the quarter-final and Brodokumer Split in the semi-final. In the final Džomba faced his old club RK Zamet called Zamet Autotrans then and scored five goals for his side in a 33:28 win for Zagreb.

The Champions League campaign started out well with RK Zagreb going undefeated in the group stage reaching the semi-finals. In the semi-finals Zagreb played against THW Kiel losing the first away match 32:21 and winning the home match 30:25, altogether losing 45:43 on aggregate.

The 2000-01 season started off with Zagreb in deep financial troubles. Many players had left the club due to not getting more than eight months' worth of their salaries. Lino Červar was appointed as the new head coach in the summer of 2000. Džomba was appointed the team captain. Zagreb's Champions League campaign was their worst in years. The club reached the quarter-final where they were defeated in both matches by their old rival FC Barcelona, 40:55 on aggregate. Zagreb's Cup run did not go well either. After defeating Trogir Alpro ATT and RK Đakovo in the quarter-finals they lost in the semi-final to Metković Jambo, 25:26. For the first time since the first Croatian Cup in 1992 Zagreb would not participate in the final.

League results saw them in first place during the regular part of the season with 20 wins 1 draw and 1 loss, Metković Jambo had the same results. During the championship play-offs they beat Zamet Crotek in both matches reaching the final where they played against Metković Jambo. During the final playoff match in the 59th minute the players of Metković Jambo left the field because the referee didn't side a foul on Goran Jerković, a player of Metković. The score was 22:21 for Zagreb the week after it was decided by Croatian Handball Federation that the match will be registered as 10:0 for Badel 1862 Zagreb.

Fotex Veszprém

In 14 June it was announced that Mirza Džomba would be joining Hungarian champions Fotex Veszprém.

With Džomba's teammates from Badel 1862 Zagreb: Zlatko Saračević, Božidar Jović and head coach Zdravko Zovko in the club Džomba adjusted quickly to in his new club.
Džomba quickly established himself in the club with wonderful goals in the Champions League.

On 10 November during Fotex Veszprém played their first Champions League group stage match against Vardar Vatrost. Skopje Džomba scored 8 goals bringing Veszprém to victory with the result 24:27. The second match was played seven day later on the 18th against S.O. Chambéry. Džomba helped his side again being the top scorer with 7 goals the finals result was 29:13 for the Hungarians

25 November saw a victory against SC Magdeburg with the result 24:20; Džomba scored 3 goals. After defeating S.O. Chambéry in France 26:28 with Džomba scoring 2 goals he brought Veszprém home with 6 goals against Vardar Vatrost. Skopje taking first place in Group D. On 15 December Veszprém received their first loss in the Champions League campaign from SC Magdeburg. Džomba played very badly scoring only 1 goal.

In the quarter-final they faced C.BM. Ademar Leon who got defeated home and away with results 22:27 and 18:30. The semi-final saw Veszprém play against Portland San Antonio. Veszprém won the first game at home with Džomba providing 4 goals but lost the second 27:21 to witch Džomba scored 6 goals. In the end Veszprém won on aggregate 48:46 and proceeded to the final.

In the final they played against SC Magdeburg. The first match was played in Veszprém where Veszprém won with the result 23:21. The second match was played in Magdeburg where Veszprém lost 30:25. Džomba scored 6 goals in both the finals matches.

Džomba failed to win the Champions League trophy for the fourth time but he did win both the domestic league and cup with the club that season.

At the start of the new season Fotex Veszprém were invited to participate in the EHF Champions Trophy. The semi-final match was played on 25 October in Dessau Veszprém played against the EHF Cup champions THW Kiel and won with the result 23:31. They played in the finals against SC Magdeburg a day later in Magdeburg and lost in a close match with the result 30:31.

Fotex Veszprém started their Champions League campaign going undefeated through the group stage. In the quarter-finals they faced Kolding IF. The first match at home was an easy win of 36:26 but there was a loss of 30:26, Fotex Veszprém advanced to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals they lost the first match against Portland San Antonio 28:20 and won the second match 30:26 but did not advance to the finals. Fotex Veszprém yet again won both domestic trophy's.

Following Džomba's success in the national team and his superb performances for Veszprém, on 27 November 2003 Džomba announced that he would be moving to BM Ciudad Real at the end of the 2003-04 season. Veszprém would eventually lose to Ciudad Real in the Champions League quarter-finals. Džomba scored 37 goals in the Champions League that season and won the Hungarian league and cup.

Ciudad Real

Džomba came to BM Ciudad Real during the summer of 2004 after the Summer Olympics had ended. He made his first appearance for the club in the Supercopa ASOBAL final against FC Barcelona in 15 September. During the match Džomba scored two goals and was heavily injured when Barcelona's player Lars Jeppesen fell on him. Ciudad won 32:29. The next day Ciudad's physiotherapist announced that Džomba had sprained ligaments in his left knee and that he would be unable to play for six weeks.

Džomba made his return on 7 October in a match against BM Alcobendas where he scored 11 goals to a victory of 36:33. Two days later he played his first Champions League match for Ciudad against Izviđač Ljubuški. He scored six goals in a 37:23 victory.

Soon Džomba became a regular in the starting seven of head coach Juan de Dios Román. Against Pfadi Winterthur Džomba scored five goals for another win.

On 20 October Ciudad Real gave a staggering defeat to Teka Cantabria with the result 35:21 Džomba was yet again one of the better players of the match, scoring seven goals. During the next matches against KIF Kolding and Bidasoa Irún Džomba scored six goals in both matches for Ciudad's victory. In the fourth match of the Champions League group stage Ciudad Real played against Pfadi Winterthur on 30 October in Winterthur. Džomba scored 10 goals and single-handedly saved the match for a win of 26:27 for Ciudad Real.

On 5 November Džomba and colleague Petar Metličić