Arpad Sterbik

Arpad Sterbik

Personal information
Full name	Arpad Sterbik Capar[1]
Born	20 November 1979 Senta, SFR Yugoslavia. Now Serbia
Nationality	Spanish/Serbian
Height	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)[2]
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	RK Vardar
Number	1
Senior clubs
0000–2001 2001–2004 2004–2011 2011–2012 2012–2014 2014–	RK Jugović MVM Veszprém BM Ciudad Real Atlético Madrid FC Barcelona RK Vardar
National team
2008–	Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro Spain	62 (0)
Medal record Representing  Yugoslavia World Championships 1999 Egypt 2001 France Representing  Spain World Championships 2013 Spain 2011 Sweden European Championship 2016 Poland

Arpad Sterbik Capar (Hungarian: Sterbik Árpád, Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈʃtɛrbik ˈaːrpaːd]; Serbian: Арпад Штербик / Arpad Šterbik; born 20 November 1979) is a Spanish professional handball goalkeeper who plays for RK Vardar and the Spanish national team.

Born in Senta, Serbia, Sterbik is a Serbian of Hungarian descent and holds Spanish citizenship post naturalization process. Internationally he has represented Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and Spain, winning a World Championship bronze medal and one gold. On club level, he has league and cup titles both in Hungary and Spain, and most notably he won the EHF Champions League, the premier continental club competition in Europe. His performances were acknowledged several times, having been named Hungarian Handballer of the Year in 2002 and IHF World Player of the Year in 2005.

Career

Sterbik grew up by the nearby town of Ada.^[3] He began his career by RK Jugović,^[4] and moved to Hungary to play for Fotex KC Veszprém in 2001. Sterbik, as an ethnic Hungarian, could get the Hungarian citizenship in a simplified process just after few months, thus freeing a foreign player quota (that time Hungarian teams could have 2 foreign players in their match squad). It also made him available to play for the Hungarian national team, however, he never made an international appearance for Hungary.^[3] Sterbik remained in Veszprém until 2004, during which period he won three Hungarian league and as many Hungarian cup titles. In 2002 he reached with Veszprém the EHF Champions League final, just to fell short against SC Magdeburg with an aggregate score of 48–51. In the same year he was voted Hungarian Handballer of the Year.^[5]

In 2004 he moved to Spanish side BM Ciudad Real and soon became one of the most prominent keepers in the Liga ASOBAL. While playing for Ciudad Real (2004–2011) and its successor Atlético Madrid BM (2011–2012), he was named the best goalkeeper of the league five times in a row (2006–2010) and in 2006 he also got the Liga ASOBAL MVP Award.^[6] Additionally, he was awarded the IHF World Player of the Year title by the International Handball Federation in 2005.^[6][7] Sterbik spent seven seasons by Ciudad Real and won four Spanish league and two Spanish cup titles. He went successful with Ciudad Real in the EHF Champions League as well, having won the title three times. In 2008, in his fourth season in Spain, Sterbik has gained Spanish citizenship and decided to represent Spain on international level.^[8]

In 2012, after eight successful seasons in Ciudad Real and Atlético Madrid BM, Sterbik switched to league rivals FC Barcelona Handbol, having signed a four-year contract with the Catalonian team.^[9]

In 2014, 14 of June, Sterbik has agreed to join RK Vardar, currently the best handball club from Macedonia. This goalkeeper, given his qualities, becomes one of the most favorite handball players of Macedonians. With this club, Arpad Sterbik won 2 titles for two years in national Macedonian League and 2 cup´s titles. Also, with RK Vardar, in season 2014-2015, he managed to enter the quarter final of EHF Champions League and to be part of the top 8 handball teams of Europe. The same year, he finished on fourth place in Gazprom SEHA League. On April, season 2015-16, Arpad and RK Vardar won the second place in the final 4 tournament of SEHA League (lost the final against Veszprem with 26-28). This season, they are also part of quarter final of EHF Champion League, having a Veszprem as their opponent. The games will be played soon, on April 23, and 30. Arpad Sterbik has a lot of success on individual level with RK Vardar too. He was chosen in the dream-team of SEHA League for 2015-2016, and also, he was recognized several times for the best goalkeeper of particular rounds of the EHF Champions League and was part of the best saves in the same tournament.

On international level Sterbik played for Yugoslavia and Spain; he received bronze medals at the 1999 World Championships and at the 2001 World Championships with Yugoslavia, and added another World Championship bronze and a gold with Spain to his medals tally in 2011 and 2013, respectively.

Personal

Sterbik is married to Hungarian economist Mónika Horváth. The couple has twin children, Laura and Noel (b. 2010).^[10][11] Arpad's sister, Andrea Sterbik is also a professional handballer who plays for Hungarian top division club Kiskunhalas NKSE.

Achievements

• Nemzeti Bajnokság I:
  • Winner: 2002, 2003, 2004

• Magyar Kupa:
  • Winner: 2002, 2003, 2004

• Liga ASOBAL:
  • Winner: 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014

• Copa del Rey:
  • Winner: 2008, 2011, 2014

• EHF Champions League:
  • Winner: 2006, 2008, 2009

Individual awards

• Hungarian Handballer of the Year: 2002
• IHF World Player of the Year: 2005
• Liga ASOBAL MVP: 2006
• Liga ASOBAL Goalkeeper of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

References

1. "Spain roster for the 2013 World Championship" (PDF). International Handball Federation. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
2. "Arpard Sterbik Profile". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
3. "Sterbik, a hármas állampolgár" (in Hungarian). Samsungsport. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
4. "EURO 2012 without two big stars – Szmal and Sterbik injured". Handball Planet. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
5. Mosonyi, József (8 December 2011). "Csárli a csúcson - negyven felett" (in Hungarian). Kezilabda.hu. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
6. "Arpad Sterbik Biography". FC Barcelona official website. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
7. Previous World Handball Players (Retrieved on January 26, 2008) Archived January 1, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
8. "Rutenka could lose the Spanish citizenship". Handball Planet. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
9. "Arpad Sterbik at F.C Barcelona Intersport until 2016!". Handball Planet. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
10. "Nagy László és Sterbik is aranyra vágyik" (in Hungarian). Nemzeti Sport. 29 May 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
11. "Sterbik: A magyarok ellen félre kell tennem a lelki kérdéseket" (in Hungarian). Nemzeti Sport. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2012.