One of the top Czechoslovakian volleyball players of the 1950s and 1960s, Zdeněk Humhal won five major international medals. In addition to his silver medal at the inaugural Olympic volleyball tournament in 1964, Humhal helped Czechoslovakia to runner-up finishes at the 1960 and 1962 World Championships. Earlier, he had won gold at the European Championships of 1955 and, in front of a home crowd, 1958. Domestically, Humhal played with Slavia Praha in the first league between 1956 and 1964, winning five titles in that period. As a student, he also played for the national team, winning the World Championship for students in 1959. After his career with the national team, he played in Italy – the first Czech player to do so – competing for Parma and Padova. In the 1970s, Humhal began a coaching career, coaching the junior national team and the junior Slavia Praha team.