Biography
Who is Kurt Zouma?
Early life and real name
Kurt Happy Zouma was born in Lyon, France. He was named after the character Kurt Sloan from the 1989 movie Kickboxer. He started playing football at age nine with Vaulx-en-Velin. He stayed with that club until he was 15. During those years, he played as a striker and a right winger. He later changed his position to defender.
Professional start at Saint-Étienne
He joined Saint-Étienne in 2009. He signed his first professional deal on April 2, 2011. This contract lasted for three years. Manager Christophe Galtier moved him to the senior squad for the 2011 to 2012 season. To keep him away from media attention, his shirt had no name on it at first.
Kurt made his pro debut on August 31, 2011, against Bordeaux. This match was part of the Coupe de la Ligue. He played the whole game in a 3 to 1 win. His first Ligue 1 game was a 3 to 0 loss at Lorient on September 17. He scored his first professional goal on November 19 against OGC Nice. He played 21 league games in his first season. He won the Coupe de la Ligue with the club in 2013. In November 2013, he received a ten game ban. This followed a challenge that broke Thomas Guerbert's leg and dislocated his ankle.
Success with Chelsea
Kurt Zouma moved to Chelsea in January 2014 for about 12 million pounds. He signed a contract for five and a half years. He spent the rest of that season on loan at Saint-Étienne. His first game for Chelsea was a 2 to 1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup. He debuted in the UEFA Champions League on October 21 against Maribor.
He won two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League title with the London club. He also won an EFL Cup and a UEFA Super Cup. In February 2016, he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. This happened during a game against Manchester United. He needed surgery and missed six months of play. After recovering, he returned to the first team in January 2017 during an FA Cup win over Peterborough United.
Loans and West Ham United
He spent the 2017 to 2018 season on loan at Stoke City. He played 37 matches there before the club was relegated. He then joined Everton on loan for the 2018 to 2019 season. He scored a header against Bournemouth on January 13, 2019. After these loans, he returned to Chelsea and made 151 total appearances.
Kurt joined West Ham United in August 2021 for 29.8 million pounds. He won the UEFA Conference League in 2023 after a victory over Fiorentina. On August 12, 2023, he captained the team for the first time in a game against Bournemouth. He currently plays for Palm City FC in the UAE First Division League.
International career and height
Kurt played for France at several youth levels. He played for the national under-16, under-17, and under-19 teams. He also played for the under-21 squad. He made his senior debut for France on March 29, 2015, in a match against Denmark.
Physically, he is 190 centimeters tall. He has two brothers named Yoan and Lionel Zouma.
Birthday and age
Kurt Zouma was born on October 27, 1994, which makes Kurt 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Kurt shares the date with 28 other famous people.
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