Zoltán Stieber facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The native form of this personal name is Stieber Zoltán. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Quick facts for kids
Zoltán Stieber
Personal information
Stieber representing Hungary at UEFA Euro 2016
Date of birth	(1988-10-16) 16 October 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Sárvár, Hungary
Height	1.75 m
Playing position	Winger Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	MTK Budapest
Number	7
Youth career
1995–1999	Sárvári FC
1999–2001	Győri ETO
2001–2002	Goldball '94
2002–2005	Újpest
2005–2007	Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2007–2009	Aston Villa	0	(0)
2007–2008	→ Yeovil Town (loan)	15	(1)
2009–2010	TuS Koblenz	38	(5)
2010–2011	Alemannia Aachen	34	(10)
2011–2012	Mainz 05	7	(0)
2011–2012	→ Mainz 05 II	3	(0)
2012–2014	Greuther Fürth	48	(12)
2012	→ Greuther Fürth II	1	(0)
2014–2016	Hamburger SV	27	(3)
2016	→ 1. FC Nürnberg (loan)	6	(1)
2016–2017	1. FC Kaiserslautern	19	(1)
2017–2019	D.C. United	44	(6)
2019–2020	Zalaegerszeg	22	(2)
2020–2022	Újpest	24	(2)
2020	→ Újpest II	1	(1)
2022–	MTK Budapest	82	(16)
National team^‡
2006–2008	Hungary U19	5	(0)
2008–2009	Hungary U20	3	(0)
2009	Hungary U21	1	(0)
2011–2018	Hungary	26	(3)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:54, 13 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 May 2020

Zoltán Stieber, born on October 16, 1988, is a professional football player from Hungary. He plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for the team MTK Budapest.

Zoltán started playing football in Hungary when he was young. He then spent four years training with the famous English club Aston Villa. Later, he moved to Germany and played for several teams there. He also became an important player for the Hungarian national team, even playing in the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament.

Playing for Clubs: Zoltán Stieber's Journey

Zoltán Stieber began his football journey at Goldball '94 in Budapest. He played there with his younger brother, András Stieber. After showing great talent, he moved to another big Hungarian club, Újpest. His skills caught the eye of English clubs, and he even had trials with Arsenal and Manchester United. In the end, he signed a youth contract with Aston Villa.

Aston Villa: Early Years in England

Stieber training for Aston Villa

In May 2005, Zoltán signed a two-year contract with Aston Villa. He quickly impressed his coaches with his play for the club's youth team, known as the Academy. In his first season, he played 30 games and scored 4 goals. He helped the Academy reach the Play-offs Final of the FA Premier Academy League in May 2006.

Zoltán continued to play well for the Aston Villa Reserves team. He scored two goals and made three assists in the 2006–07 season. In January 2007, he signed another two-year contract with the club.

In May 2007, Zoltán led Aston Villa to win the HKFC Philips Lighting International Soccer Sevens tournament. He scored a fantastic winning goal in one match. He was also named the Player of the Tournament, following in the footsteps of Gabriel Agbonlahor. Because of his success, he received a three-year contract, showing how much potential the club saw in him.

In July 2007, Zoltán got his first chance to play with the senior team. He joined them for a tour in the U.S. and Canada. He played his first game against Toronto and made a good impression. Even though he didn't play in a competitive match for the senior team, he did very well for the Reserves. He scored two goals and made six assists in the first six matches. This earned him the first-ever BBC Radio West Midlands Young Player of the Month award in September 2007.

Before the 2008–09 season, Zoltán again joined the first team for a tour in Switzerland. He also played in some friendly matches. However, he never played in a competitive game for Aston Villa's senior team. The club then allowed him to try out for other teams.

Yeovil Town: A Loan Spell

On November 22, 2007, Zoltán joined League One team Yeovil Town on loan. The manager, Russell Slade, praised Zoltán's skills with free kicks and his ability to cross the ball well.

Zoltán played his first game for Yeovil Town on November 24, 2007. He scored his first goal for the team in a 2–1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion. His loan was extended, but he later got a thigh injury. After playing 15 games, his loan at Yeovil Town ended.

TuS Koblenz: Moving to Germany

Stieber training with Greuther Fürth

After trying out for Blackpool and Norwich City, Zoltán decided to join TuS Koblenz in Germany on January 29, 2009. He signed a contract until June 2011.

He made his 2. Bundesliga debut on January 30, 2009. A week later, he scored his first goal and made his first assist in the 2. Bundesliga. He went on to score four more goals in 17 games.

The 2009–10 season started well for Zoltán. He made two assists in a cup game and scored his first goal of the season in another cup match. However, injuries limited him to 21 games that season.

Alemannia Aachen: A Strong Season

On May 26, 2010, Zoltán left TuS Koblenz and signed a two-year contract with Alemannia Aachen.

He made his debut for Alemannia Aachen on August 20, 2010, assisting a goal in a 2–2 draw. He scored his first goal for the club on September 17, 2010. By the end of 2010, he had scored several more goals.

In 2011, Zoltán continued to score and assist goals. He even scored two goals in one game against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen. He played in all 34 league matches that season and scored ten goals, becoming the club's top scorer. He was also considered one of the best players in the league that season.

Mainz 05: A Short Stay

On March 22, 2011, it was announced that Zoltán would join Mainz 05, a Bundesliga team, on a four-year contract.

He made his debut for Mainz 05 on the first day of the season, helping his team win 2–0. Two weeks later, he made an assist in a game against Schalke 04. However, Zoltán struggled to get regular playing time and also faced injuries. He considered leaving the club, but they wanted him to stay. After a difficult season, Zoltán looked to move on despite having three years left on his contract.

Greuther Fürth: Finding His Form Again

On June 21, 2012, Zoltán signed a four-year contract with Greuther Fürth, another Bundesliga team.

He made his debut for Greuther Fürth as a substitute in a 3–0 loss to Bayern Munich. After dealing with some health issues, Zoltán scored his first Bundesliga goal for the club in a 3–3 draw. He then scored two more goals against Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund. However, he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for three months. He returned for the last game of the season. Greuther Fürth was relegated that season, but Zoltán still played 17 games and scored three goals.

In the next season, Zoltán played very well. He scored 3 goals and made 6 assists in just 9 games. He scored twice against Union Berlin and once against Dynamo Dresden, where he also made three assists in a 4–0 win. He continued to score goals throughout the season. In his final season for Fürth, he scored 9 goals and made 11 assists in 36 games.

Hamburger SV: Back in the Bundesliga

Stieber training for Hamburger SV

On May 26, 2014, Zoltán signed with Bundesliga club Hamburg. He said it was the best contract of his career. Hamburg had noticed him during their relegation play-offs against Fürth, where Zoltán had provided an assist.

Zoltán made his debut for Hamburg on August 30, 2014. In January 2015, he played as a central midfielder for the first time in a friendly match. On February 4, he scored his first goal for Hamburg in a 3–0 win against Paderborn. A few days later, he set a record for running the longest distance in a 2014–15 Bundesliga game, covering 13.9 kilometers.

He scored his second goal for Hamburg on February 22, 2015, and then another goal in the next game on February 28. He finished the 2014–15 season with 3 goals in 28 games.

In the 2015–16 season, Zoltán found it harder to get playing time. He made his first appearance of the season in October 2015. In January, he was expected to leave the club.

1. FC Nürnberg: A Loan Move

On January 18, 2016, Zoltán moved on loan to 1. FC Nürnberg. He wanted to play more to have a chance to be in the Hungary squad for the UEFA Euro 2016.

He made his debut for 1. FC Nürnberg on February 6, 2016. On March 4, 2016, he scored his first goal for the club but was sent off in the last minute. He played six games and scored one goal for Nürnberg.

Kaiserslautern: Another German Club

After returning from the national team, Zoltán wanted to leave Hamburg to get more playing time. On August 12, 2016, he signed a three-year contract with 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

He made his debut for Kaiserslautern two days later, on August 14, 2016. Six days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a cup game, which they lost 4–3 in extra time.

D.C. United: Playing in America

On August 9, 2017, Zoltán signed with Major League Soccer team D.C. United in the United States. On September 27, 2017, he scored his first goal for D.C. United against the New York Red Bulls. He is known for his great passing, free kicks, and speed.

In 2017, Zoltán scored one goal and made one assist for D.C. United. In 2018, with a new stadium, he scored 5 goals and made 7 assists. However, new players like Paul Arriola and Lucas Rodriguez started to take his place in the team.

In June 2019, Zoltán said he wanted to leave D.C. United to have more chances to play for the Hungary national team. He felt that playing in the US was too far from Hungary. On July 26, 2019, D.C. United announced that Zoltán had left the club. In total, he scored 6 goals and made 8 assists in 44 games for D.C. United.

MTK Budapest: Back Home

On January 25, 2022, Zoltán signed with MTK Budapest in Hungary. At the end of the 2021–22 season, MTK was moved down to the second division, NB II. Zoltán then played in that league.

Playing for His Country: Hungary National Team

Stieber playing for Hungary against Iceland at Euro 2016

Zoltán had played for Hungary's youth teams, including the U19, U20, and U21 teams. He was first called up to the senior national team and made his debut on September 2, 2011, in a 2–1 win against Sweden.

On June 5, 2015, Zoltán scored his first goal for Hungary in a 4–0 friendly win against Lithuania. He then scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Finland on June 13, helping Hungary qualify for UEFA Euro 2016.

He was chosen to be part of Hungary's squad for the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament. On June 14, 2016, Zoltán played in the first group match, a 2–0 win against Austria. He scored the second goal in that game. Three days later, he played in a 1–1 draw against Iceland. He also played in the last group match, a 3–3 draw against Portugal. Zoltán later said that playing in the UEFA Euro 2016 was an experience he would never forget.

About Zoltán's Life

Zoltán Stieber has a younger brother named András Stieber. András also started his football career at Goldball '94 and later played for the Aston Villa Under-21s team with Zoltán. András now plays for Újpest in the Hungarian league.

In May 2011, Zoltán was in a car accident. He suffered a shin injury, but the other driver was more seriously hurt.

Career Statistics

Here are some statistics about Zoltán Stieber's football career.

Club Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Aston Villa	2007–08	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2008–09	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Yeovil Town (loan)	2007–08	League One	15	1	—		—		—		15	1
TuS Koblenz	2008–09	2. Bundesliga	17	5	0	0	—		—		17	5
	2009–10	2. Bundesliga	21	0	2	1	—		—		23	1
	Total		38	5	2	1	—		—		40	6
Alemannia Aachen	2010–11	2. Bundesliga	34	10	2	0	—		—		36	10
Mainz 05	2011–12	Bundesliga	7	0	1	0	—		1	0	9	0
Mainz 05 II	2011–12	Regionalliga West	3	0	—		—		—		3	0
Greuther Fürth	2012–13	Bundesliga	16	3	0	0	—		—		16	3
	2013–14	2. Bundesliga	32	9	2	0	—		2	0	36	9
	Total		48	12	2	0	—		2	0	52	12
Greuther Fürth II	2012–13	Regionalliga Bayern	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
Hamburger SV	2014–15	Bundesliga	25	3	1	0	—		2	0	28	3
	2015–16	Bundesliga	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
	Total		27	3	1	0	—		2	0	30	3
1. FC Nürnberg (loan)	2015–16	2. Bundesliga	6	1	0	0	—		—		6	1
1. FC Kaiserslautern	2016–17	2. Bundesliga	19	1	1	1	—		—		20	2
D.C. United	2017	MLS	8	1	0	0	—		—		8	1
	2018	MLS	27	5	1	0	—		1	0	29	5
	2019	MLS	9	0	0	0	—		—		9	0
	Total		44	6	1	0	—		1	0	46	6
Zalaegerszegi	2019–20	NB I	22	2	3	1	—		—		25	3
Újpest	2020–21	NB I	15	1	4	1	—		—		19	2
	2021–22	NB I	9	1	2	0	—		—		11	1
	Total		24	2	6	1	—		—		30	3
Újpest II	2020–21	NB III	1	1	—		—		—		1	1
MTK Budapest	2021–22	NB I	14	0	—		—		—		14	0
	2022–23	NB II	28	11	2	0	—		—		30	11
	2023–24	NB I	27	3	4	2	—		—		31	5
	2024–25	NB I	13	2	1	0	—		—		14	2
	Total		82	16	7	2	—		—		89	18
Career total			371	60	26	6	0	0	6	0	403	66

International Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Hungary	2011	2	0
	2013	1	0
	2014	3	0
	2015	4	2
	2016	9	1
	2017	6	0
	2018	1	0
Total		26	3

Scores and results list Hungary's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Stieber goal.

List of international goals scored by Zoltán Stieber
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	5 June 2015	Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen, Hungary	8	Lithuania	1–0	4–0	Friendly
2	13 June 2015	Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland	9	Finland	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
3	14 June 2016	Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France	13	Austria	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2016