Wilfried Zaha facts for kids
Zaha playing for Crystal Palace in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dazet Wilfried Armel Zaha | ||
| Date of birth | 10 November 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.82 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
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Current team
|
Charlotte FC (on loan from Galatasaray) |
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| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2010 | Crystal Palace | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2013 | Crystal Palace | 110 | (12) |
| 2013–2015 | Manchester United | 2 | (0) |
| 2013 | → Crystal Palace (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2014 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | → Crystal Palace (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2015–2023 | Crystal Palace | 275 | (67) |
| 2023– | Galatasaray | 30 | (9) |
| 2024–2025 | → Lyon (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Charlotte FC (loan) | 20 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011 | England U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | England U21 | 13 | (2) |
| 2012–2013 | England | 2 | (0) |
| 2017– | Ivory Coast | 33 | (5) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:07, 17 July 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:19, 17 October 2023 (UTC) |
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Dazet Wilfried Armel Zaha (born November 10, 1992) is a professional footballer. He plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC. He is currently on loan from Süper Lig club Galatasaray. Wilfried also plays for the Ivory Coast national team.
Zaha started his football journey at the youth academy of Crystal Palace. He made his first team debut in 2010. He scored 18 goals in 143 games over three seasons. He was very important in helping Crystal Palace get promoted to the Premier League in 2013. After this, he joined Manchester United for £10 million. He was the last player signed by the famous manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Zaha won the Community Shield in his first game for Manchester United.
He played only four games in his time at Manchester United. He also had a short loan at Cardiff City. Zaha then returned to Crystal Palace in 2014. He scored 72 goals in 315 games for Crystal Palace over the next nine seasons. He became the club's tenth-highest goalscorer of all time. He was also their highest goalscorer ever in the Premier League. He helped the club stay in the top league before he left in 2023.
Wilfried Zaha was born in the Ivory Coast but grew up in England. He played for the England national team in 2012 and 2013. He played in two friendly matches. After not playing for England for four years, he decided to play for Ivory Coast in 2016. He has played for Ivory Coast in the 2017, 2019, and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Wilfried Zaha was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. When he was four years old, his family moved to Thornton Heath in London. He has eight brothers and sisters. He went to Whitehorse Manor Junior School and Selsdon High School.
He loved playing football at school. He joined the Crystal Palace academy when he was 8 years old. This is where his professional career began.
Club Football Journey
Playing for Crystal Palace
First Steps (2009–2010)
Zaha played his first game for Crystal Palace on March 27, 2010. It was a home match against Cardiff City. He came on as a substitute with 10 minutes left. In April, he signed a two-year professional contract with the club.
Becoming a Key Player (2010–2012)
Wilfried quickly became an important player for Crystal Palace. On August 7, 2010, he scored his first goal in a 3–2 win against Leicester City. He also helped set up goals for his teammates. In April 2011, he was sent off in a game, but the decision was later changed. He played 44 matches that season, scoring 1 goal and making 2 assists.
In the 2011–12 season, Zaha scored two goals in a League Cup match against Crawley Town. He played very well in Crystal Palace's surprise 2–1 win over Manchester United in the League Cup. This made big clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United interested in him.
In March 2012, Zaha was named The Football League's Young Player of the Year. His manager, Dougie Freedman, sometimes played him as a striker. At the end of the season, Zaha was voted Crystal Palace Young Player of the Year for the second time. He played 48 games, scored 9 goals, and made 5 assists.
Promotion to the Premier League (2012–2013)
Zaha started the 2012–13 season well. He made an assist and won a penalty in early games. He scored two goals against Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 2012. Four days later, he scored two more goals in a 4–3 win over Burnley.
On May 13, 2013, Zaha scored two goals in the play-off semi-final against Brighton & Hove Albion. These goals sent Crystal Palace to the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. In the final on May 27, 2013, Zaha won a penalty. This penalty was scored, and it helped Crystal Palace get promoted to the Premier League for the 2013–14 season.
Time at Manchester United
On January 25, 2013, Zaha agreed to join Premier League club Manchester United. He was immediately loaned back to Crystal Palace for the rest of that season. He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester United. The transfer fee was reported to be around £10 million.
Zaha played his first game for Manchester United on August 11, 2013. It was in the 2013 FA Community Shield against Wigan Athletic. He started the game and played for 61 minutes. He won his first major trophy in football that day. He later made his Premier League debut in December.
On January 31, 2014, Zaha joined Cardiff City on loan. This was for the rest of the 2013–14 season. He felt that the Manchester United manager, David Moyes, did not give him enough chances to play.
Coming Back to Crystal Palace
Loan and Permanent Move (2014–2015)
On August 28, 2014, Zaha returned to Crystal Palace on a season-long loan. In his first game back, he scored a goal in the last minutes of a 3–3 draw against Newcastle United. On February 2, 2015, Zaha's move to Palace became permanent. He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract.
Zaha played regularly for Crystal Palace that season. He scored four goals and made two assists. Crystal Palace finished 10th in the league.
FA Cup Final and Player of the Year (2015–2016)
Zaha continued to be a regular player for Crystal Palace. He played 34 games, scored two goals, and made one assist. Crystal Palace finished 15th in the league. He helped Crystal Palace reach the 2016 FA Cup Final. He played in every match from the third round and scored two goals. Zaha played the entire 120 minutes in the final. However, Manchester United won the game 2–1. Zaha won the Crystal Palace Player of the Year award for the first time.
Continued Success (2016–2018)
On December 26, 2016, Zaha was involved in a controversial moment against Watford. Some people thought he dived, but others disagreed. On May 14, 2017, Zaha scored the first goal in a game against Hull City. This goal helped Crystal Palace stay in the top league. After another great season, Zaha won Crystal Palace's Player of the Year award for the second year in a row. He signed a new five-year contract with the club on May 26, 2017.
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On October 14, 2017, Zaha returned to the starting team after two months. He scored a goal in a 2–1 win over Chelsea. This gave Crystal Palace their first points of the season. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for April 2018. This was because he scored four goals and made an assist. He scored twice in a 3–2 win over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.
Crystal Palace had a bad start but managed to stay in the league. Zaha and fellow winger Andros Townsend played a big part in this. Zaha was named Crystal Palace Player of the Year for the third time in a row. Only goalkeeper Julián Speroni had done this before.
Breaking Records and Challenges (2018–2020)
In the first game of the 2018–19 season, Zaha scored in a 2–0 win against Fulham. This was his 23rd Premier League goal for the club. It made him level with Chris Armstrong as their top scorer in the competition. Four days later, he signed a new five-year contract. On August 26, he scored against Watford, passing Armstrong to become Palace's all-time Premier League top scorer.
Zaha often complained about not getting enough protection from referees. He felt he was fouled a lot. Data showed he was one of the most fouled players in the league. In October 2018, Zaha received racist abuse and threats online. In June 2019, Arsenal offered £40 million for him, but Crystal Palace rejected it.
In the 2019–20 season, Zaha played in all 38 league matches. He scored only 4 goals, including a great long-distance goal against Chelsea.
Personal Best and Departure (2020–2023)
On September 12, 2020, Zaha scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Southampton. On September 19, he scored two goals in a 3–1 win against his former team, Manchester United.
On March 13, 2021, Zaha became the first Premier League player not to take a knee before a game. He said that society should focus on better education and that social media companies should do more to stop online abuse. On May 16, Zaha scored his eleventh league goal of the season. This was a new personal best for him in a Premier League season.
On September 27, 2021, Zaha played his 400th game for Crystal Palace. He scored his 70th goal in a 1–1 draw with rivals Brighton & Hove Albion. On October 30, Zaha became the first player to score 50 top-flight goals for Crystal Palace. This happened in a 2–0 win at Manchester City.
Zaha finished the 2021–22 season with 14 goals. This was his new personal best record. In the 2022–23 season, he scored seven goals in 27 Premier League games. He missed some matches due to injuries. His contract ended at the end of the season. Crystal Palace offered him a new contract, but Zaha decided to leave the club. He announced his departure on July 23, 2023, after 18 years with Crystal Palace.
Moving to Galatasaray
On July 23, 2023, Süper Lig club Galatasaray announced that Zaha had arrived in Turkey. The next day, he signed a three-year contract with the club. He received a signing bonus and an annual salary.
Zaha played his first Süper Lig game against Kayserispor on August 12. On September 20, he made his Champions League group stage debut. He assisted a goal in a 2–2 draw against Copenhagen. On October 3, he scored his first Champions League goal. It was against his former club Manchester United in a 3–2 win for Galatasaray at Old Trafford.
Loan to Lyon
On August 30, 2024, Zaha joined Lyon on loan until the end of the 2024–25 season. Lyon paid Galatasaray a loan fee. His loan was ended early on January 22, 2025, by agreement between both clubs.
Loan to Charlotte FC
On January 22, 2025, it was announced that Zaha would join Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC. This was a one-year loan, with an option to extend it. In his first game on March 4, 2025, against Atlanta United FC, he scored one goal in a 2–0 win. By June 1, 2025, he had played his 15th MLS game, which triggered the loan extension until June 30, 2026.
International Career
Wilfried Zaha could play for either the Ivory Coast, where he was born, or England, where he grew up.
Playing for England (2011–2013)
Because of his good performance, Zaha was called up to the England under-19 team in February 2011. He was then called up to the under-21 team in February 2012. He made his debut on February 29, assisting a goal in a 4–0 win against Belgium. On November 11, 2012, Zaha was called up to the senior England team by manager Roy Hodgson. He made his debut as a substitute in a friendly match against Sweden on November 14.
Playing for Ivory Coast (2016–Present)
On November 27, 2016, the Ivorian Football Federation confirmed that Zaha wanted to switch his international team from England to the Ivory Coast. England manager Gareth Southgate tried to convince him to stay with England.
In January 2017, Zaha was chosen for the Ivory Coast squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He made his debut in a friendly against Sweden on January 8. He came on as a substitute and assisted a goal. Three days later, he started his first international game against Uganda and scored his first goal. At the tournament, Ivory Coast was eliminated in the group stage.
Zaha also played in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. He scored two goals in the tournament. One was in a 4–1 win over Namibia. The other was the only goal in the last 16 match against Mali. Ivory Coast lost in the quarter-finals to Algeria.
How Wilfried Zaha Plays
Zaha can play as a forward or a winger. He usually plays on the left side, where he can cut inside with his right foot. Experts say he is more dangerous when playing as a striker. His speed, athleticism, and unpredictable movements make him hard for defenders to stop. This often causes defenders to foul him. Zaha has caused the most red cards for opponents in the history of the Premier League.
Some people have accused Zaha of diving. However, Roy Hodgson, who managed him at Crystal Palace and for England, has defended him. Hodgson said that Zaha does not dive. He explained that Zaha runs very fast and is agile, so he sometimes gets unbalanced without it being a foul. Hodgson also believes there is a "campaign" against Zaha, which makes referees ignore fouls against him.
Personal Life
Wilfried Zaha married Paige Bannister in July 2023.
He is also a co-chairman of Isthmian League South East club AFC Croydon Athletic. He shares this role with Danny Young and Michael Owuo Jr., who is better known as Stormzy.
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 | ||
| Crystal Palace | 2009–10 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 1 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 41 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | — | — | 48 | 9 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 43 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 2 | 50 | 8 | |||
| Total | 126 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 3 | — | 3 | 2 | 143 | 18 | |||
| Manchester United | 2013–14 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2013–14 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Crystal Palace | 2014–15 | Premier League | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | 34 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 43 | 5 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 7 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 9 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 34 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 10 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 38 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 4 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 30 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 11 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 33 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 15 | ||||
| 2022–23 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 291 | 68 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 315 | 72 | ||||
| Crystal Palace total | 417 | 81 | 19 | 3 | 19 | 4 | — | 3 | 2 | 458 | 90 | |||
| Galatasaray | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 30 | 9 | 3 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 | |
| 2024–25 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 30 | 9 | 3 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 10 | |||
| Lyon (loan) | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Charlotte FC (loan) | 2025 | Major League Soccer | 20 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | |||
| Career total | 485 | 95 | 23 | 3 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 544 | 105 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2012 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | |
| Ivory Coast | 2017 | 8 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 5 | |
| Career total | 35 | 5 | |
- As of match played November 19, 2022. Ivory Coast score listed first, score column indicates score after each Zaha goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 11, 2017 | Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 2 |  Uganda |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 2 | March 24, 2017 | Krasnodar Stadium, Krasnodar, Russia | 6 |  Russia |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | |
| 3 | July 1, 2019 | 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | 14 |  Namibia |
3–1 | 4–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 4 | July 8, 2019 | Suez Stadium, Suez, Egypt | 15 |  Mali |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations | |
| 5 | October 13, 2019 | Stade de la Licorne, Amiens, France | 17 |  DR Congo |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Honours and Awards
Crystal Palace
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2013 (won promotion to Premier League)
Manchester United
- FA Community Shield: 2013
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2023–24
- Turkish Super Cup: 2023
Individual Awards
- Football League Young Player of the Month: October 2012
- PFA Team of the Year: 2012–13 Championship
- Crystal Palace Player of the Year: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
- Premier League Player of the Month: April 2018
- Premier League Goal of the Month: February 2022
See also
In Spanish: Wilfried Zaha para niños
- List of England international footballers born outside England
