Born in Koprivnica, Zvonimir Šarlija started practicing football at the local club NK Slaven Belupo, where his father used to play and captain the senior team.[2] As per club practice, he was moved between Slaven and its feeder side NK Koprivnica.[3] At the age of 18, he captained the club's fourth-tier reserve side, where he scored 2 goals in 22 matches, along with the U-19 side.[3][4] Subsequently, he was loaned out by his club, first in 2015 to its third-tier feeder NK Koprivnica, scoring one goal in twenty appearances, then to second-tier NK Solin.[3][4]
Back at Slaven Belupo in 2017, Šarlija gathered 49 caps for the senior side in all competitions.[5]
On 29 June 2019, Slaven Belupo announced that Šarlija had moved to CSKA Moscow,[6] with CSKA confirming the season-long loan deal, with the first option to buy, on 1 July.[7] On 18 January 2020, CSKA Moscow confirmed that their loan deal with Šarlija had ended, and that he'd joined Kasımpaşa on loan for the remainder of the 2019/20 season with Kasımpaşa confining they had an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.[8][9]
On 31 August 2020, it was announced that Šarlija signed for Turkish club Ankaragücü. The reported fee was €350.000 .[10]
On 30 July 2021, he signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos.[11]
In the summer of 2023, Šarlija officially joined Hajduk Split on a four-year contract.[2]
Personal life
Šarlija's father Milan, originally from Jasenice near Zadar in Dalmatia[2] captained Slaven Belupo, and later became the club's director for a while. His younger brother Lovro and cousin Ante are also former Slaven Belupo players, while his brother Luka is the club's spokesman.[12] Šarlija is a lifelong Hajduk Split fan, having a tattoo of Ivica Hlevnjak-Bukle's legendary statement "Emocije su zajebane.".[2]