Kurt Zouma facts for kids
Zouma warming up for West Ham United in 2021
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kurt Happy Zouma | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 27 October 1994 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lyon, France | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2009 | Vaulx-en-Velin | |||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Saint-Étienne | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Saint-Étienne B | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Saint-Étienne | 63 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2021 | Chelsea | 99 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2014 | → Saint-Étienne (loan) | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | → Stoke City (loan) | 34 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | → Everton (loan) | 32 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2025 | West Ham United | 82 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | → Al-Orobah (loan) | 19 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | France U16 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | France U17 | 17 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2012 | France U19 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | France U20 | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | France U21 | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2015–2021 | France | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:14, 26 May 2025 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||||
Kurt Happy Zouma (born 27 October 1994) is a French professional footballer. He plays as a centre-back, which is a defensive position.
Zouma started his career at Saint-Étienne in France. He made his first professional appearance at just 16 years old. With Saint-Étienne, he won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2013. In January 2014, Zouma joined Chelsea for about £12 million. He was loaned back to Saint-Étienne for a short time.
At Chelsea, he achieved great success. He won two Premier League titles, an EFL Cup, a UEFA Champions League title, and a UEFA Super Cup. After playing on loan for Stoke City and Everton, he moved to West Ham United in 2021. In his second season with West Ham, he helped them win the UEFA Conference League.
Kurt Zouma also played for France at different youth levels. He played for the under-16, under-17, under-19, and under-21 teams. He made his debut for the senior French national team in March 2015.
Contents
Club Career
Starting Out in Football
Kurt Zouma was born in Lyon, France. He started playing football at age nine with a club called Vaulx-en-Velin. He played there until he was 15. When he first started, he played as a right winger and even as a striker. Later, he changed to his current position as a defender. His middle name, Happy, comes from an African tradition of using positive words in names.
Playing for Saint-Étienne
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Zouma joined Saint-Étienne in 2009. In April 2011, he signed his first professional contract. He then joined the senior team for the 2011–12 season.
He played his first professional game on 31 August 2011. He was only 16 years old. It was a Coupe de la Ligue match against Bordeaux, which Saint-Étienne won 3–1. He scored his first professional goal on 19 November 2011. In total, he played 21 league games in his first season.
On 20 April 2013, Zouma helped Saint-Étienne win the Coupe de la Ligue final. They beat Rennes 1–0. In November 2013, Zouma was suspended for ten games. This was after a challenge that caused an injury to another player.
Time at Chelsea
Joining Chelsea and First Season
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On 31 January 2014, Zouma signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea. The transfer fee was about £12 million. He stayed at Saint-Étienne on loan for the rest of the 2013–14 season.
Zouma played his first game for Chelsea on 24 September 2014. He scored the first goal in a 2–1 win against Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup. He made his first Premier League start on 10 January 2015. He helped Chelsea keep a clean sheet in a 2–0 win against Newcastle United.
On 1 March 2015, Chelsea won the League Cup Final. They beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–0. Zouma played in defensive midfield during this match. On 3 May, Chelsea won the Premier League title. Zouma came on as a substitute in the final minutes.
Later Years at Chelsea
On 19 September 2015, Zouma scored his first Premier League goal. It was a header in a 2–0 home win against Arsenal. In November, he scored his first European goal in a 4–0 win against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
In February 2016, Zouma suffered a serious knee injury. He needed surgery and was out of action for six months. He returned to play for Chelsea's under-23 team in October 2016. In January 2017, he made his first team comeback in an FA Cup match.
Loan Spells at Stoke City and Everton
After signing a new contract with Chelsea, Zouma joined Stoke City on loan for the 2017–18 season. He played 37 matches for Stoke. However, Stoke City was relegated to the EFL Championship that season.
On 10 August 2018, Zouma joined Everton on loan for the 2018–19 season. He scored his first goal for Everton on 13 January 2019. It was a header in a 2–0 home win against AFC Bournemouth.
Returning to Chelsea (2019–2021)
Zouma returned to Chelsea after his loan at Everton ended. He played 32 games and scored 2 goals during his loan. On 11 August 2019, he started the season for Chelsea in a match against Manchester United. He scored again on 25 September 2019 in a 7–1 win against Grimsby Town. On 1 January 2020, Zouma played his 100th game for Chelsea.
In the 2020–21 season, Zouma scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea in over five years. He scored in a 3–1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion. He continued to score important goals, including one against Leeds United in December. Zouma played five times for Chelsea in their successful 2020-21 UEFA Champions League campaign. Chelsea won the final 1–0 against Manchester City.
Zouma's last game for Chelsea was in the 2021 UEFA Super Cup on 11 August 2021. Chelsea won the game on penalties against Villarreal. He played 151 games for Chelsea in total, scoring 10 goals.
Moving to West Ham United
First Seasons with West Ham
On 28 August 2021, Zouma joined West Ham United for £29.8 million. He signed a four-year contract. He made his debut for West Ham on 16 September in a Europa League match. On 7 November, he scored his first goal for West Ham. It was the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Liverpool.
On 7 June 2023, Zouma played in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina. West Ham won the match 2–1, winning their first major trophy in 43 years. In August 2023, Zouma was named captain for West Ham's first game of the season. This was the first time he had captained a team in his professional career.
Loan to Al-Orobah and Departure
In June 2024, West Ham placed Zouma on their transfer list. In August 2024, a planned move to a club in the United Arab Emirates did not happen.
In June 2025, West Ham announced that Zouma would leave the club on 30 June. He played 103 games for West Ham and scored six goals. He then joined Al-Orobah on loan for the 2024-25 season, where he played 19 games and scored 1 goal.
International Career
Kurt Zouma has played for various France youth international teams. He represented his country at the under-16 and under-17 levels. He also played in the 2011 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Zouma was also the captain for the French under-21 team.
He was part of the under-20 team that won the 2013 World Cup in Turkey. In the quarter-finals, he scored a goal in a 4–0 victory against Uzbekistan.
The senior France manager, Didier Deschamps, called Zouma up for the first time in March 2015. He made his debut on 29 March 2015 in a 2–0 win against Denmark. Due to his injury in February 2016, Zouma missed France's chance to host UEFA Euro 2016.
He returned to the squad in August 2017. On 11 June 2019, Zouma made his first start for the France senior team. He also scored his first goal for the senior team in a 4–0 win against Andorra during a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match.
Playing Style
Experts have described Zouma as a strong defender. They note his ability to read the game and his strength in the air. In January 2014, a British newspaper called him one of the most promising young players in Europe. They said he had "exceptional power and technique" and "leadership qualities."
In February 2015, football pundit Danny Murphy compared Zouma to Marcel Desailly. Desailly was another French defender who played for Chelsea. Murphy praised Zouma's reliability, confidence, and speed. He believed Zouma could be a key player for Chelsea for many years.
Another player, Ryan Shawcross, called Zouma the "ultimate defender." He mentioned Zouma's speed, jumping ability, passing, shooting, and tackling skills.
Personal Life
Kurt Zouma's parents moved to France from the Central African Republic. His older brother, Lionel, and younger brother, Yoan, are also defenders. Zouma is married to Sandra, and they have three children. He is a Muslim and made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 2019.
Important Lessons Learned
In February 2022, a video showed Zouma acting inappropriately towards his pet cat. This caused a lot of concern and was widely condemned. Zouma apologized for his actions. His two cats were taken into care by an animal welfare organization. West Ham United fined him a large amount of money, which was donated to animal welfare charities.
Later, legal action was taken against Kurt and his brother Yoan. Kurt Zouma admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to his cat. He was ordered to do community service and was not allowed to keep cats for five years. His brother also received community service for his part. This situation highlighted the importance of treating animals with kindness and respect.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Saint-Étienne B | 2010–11 | CFA | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | ||||
| 2011–12 | CFA | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 2012–13 | CFA | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | ||||||
| Saint-Étienne | 2011–12 | Ligue 1 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | Ligue 1 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 2 | |||
| 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| Total | 63 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 73 | 4 | |||
| Chelsea | 2014–15 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 26 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 36 | 5 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 99 | 6 | 17 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 151 | 10 | ||
| Chelsea U23 | 2016–17 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Stoke City (loan) | 2017–18 | Premier League | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | —!!37!!1 | ||||
| Everton (loan) | 2018–19 | Premier League | 32!!2!!2!!0!!2!!0 | — | —!!36!!2 | |||||||||
| West Ham United | 2021–22 | Premier League | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 32 | 1 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 33 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 39 | 3 | ||
| Total | 82 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | — | 103 | 6 | |||
| Al-Orobah (loan) | 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 20 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 339 | 22 | 30 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 42 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 431 | 26 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 11 | 1 | |
- As of match played 16 November 2021
- France score listed first, score column indicates score after each Zouma goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 June 2019 | Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra | 5 |  Andorra |
4–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification |
Honours
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Saint-Étienne
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2012–13
Chelsea
- Premier League: 2014–15, 2016–17
- Football League Cup: 2014–15
- UEFA Champions League: 2020–21
- UEFA Super Cup: 2021
- FA Cup runner-up: 2016–17, 2019–20, 2020–21
West Ham United
- UEFA Europa Conference League: 2022–23
France U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2013
Individual
- Chelsea Young Player of the Year: 2014–15
See also
In Spanish: Kurt Zouma para niños
