Former Hearts goalkeeper returns to football as a striker and achieves remarkable feat in eight-goal thriller

The former Hearts goalkeeper is back in football in bizarre circumstances.

Zlamal is back in football.

Former Hearts goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal is back in football - as a striker.

The 38-year-old had retired from the game in 2021 after his Jambos stint ended with loans to St Mirren and St Johnstone. But he has now returned with Czech seventh tier side FC Sigma Hodolany, ditching his gloves earlier this month and becoming a versatile outfield player between midfield and up front.

He scored a hat-trick at the weeekend as his side drew with FC Kralice na Hane in a 4-4 thriller. Zlamal thought he had won the game with an 89th minute strike but a 94th minute goal snatched glory away, but he still left with the match ball. He tweeted: "Not a bad start for a first game."

Zlamal is playing in the lower leagues alongside punditry duties on Premier League games back in the Czech Republic. He joined Hearts in 2018 under Craig Levein's tenure and stayed for three years before his exit. The former shot-stopper sparked outrage after defending Slavia Prague's Ondrej Kudela following abuse of Glen Kamara during a Europa League clash against Rangers.

He also said a Hibs fan punched him in the face during a 2018 Edinburgh derby, during the same game which then-Hibs boss Neil Lennon was hit with a coin. Speaking on the incident at the time, Zlamal said: "Everybody knows, who the losers are, you punched me in the face.

"I was ok - no big deal, but feel sorry for your personal tragedies that force you to behave like this. Our kids are watching the games and I'm sure they can recognize their real heroes."