Warren Zaïre-Emery

Warren Zaïre-Emery (born 8 March 2006) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team.^[1]

Warren Zaïre-Emery

Personal information
Full name	Warren Zaïre-Emery
Date of birth	(2006-03-08) 8 March 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth	Montreuil, France
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Paris Saint-Germain
Number	33
Youth career
2011–2014	Aubervilliers
2014–2022	Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–	Paris Saint-Germain	49	(4)
International career^‡
2021	France U16	2	(0)
2022	France U17	9	(2)
2022–2023	France U18	6	(0)
2022–2023	France U19	6	(0)
2023	France U21	4	(0)
2023–	France	2	(1)
Medal record Men's football Representing  France UEFA European Under-17 Championship Winner 2022 Israel
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:54, 31 March 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 March 2024

A product of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy, Zaïre-Emery made his professional debut for PSG in August 2022, becoming the club's youngest-ever player. In his debut season, he became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer and the youngest player in UEFA Champions League history to start a knockout phase match, all at the age of 16, before winning his maiden Ligue 1 title.

At youth international level, Zaïre-Emery has represented France from under-16 to under-21 level. In September 2023, he became the youngest captain of the under-21s in thirty years. In November of the same year, Zaïre-Emery scored on his senior debut for France, becoming the country's third-youngest debutant and second-youngest goalscorer.

Early life

Warren Zaïre-Emery was born in Montreuil, growing up in Île-de-France. His father, Franck Emery, was also a footballer, having played with Red Star in Seine-Saint-Denis.^[2][3] His mother is of Martiniquais descent.^[4]

Zaïre-Emery started playing at Aubervilliers at the age of four, having to wait a year just to be old enough to take his first license there.^[2][3]

Club career

Paris Saint-Germain

Youth career

Already a standout player in Aubervilliers, Zaïre-Emery was quickly scouted by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), signing with the club from the capital in 2014.^[3] In their youth system, Zaïre-Emery always played in categories above his age, impressing his coaches at all levels. During the 2021–22 season, as he had only turned 15, he was the youngest player of the under-19 squad.^[3][5][6][7] Despite his young age, Zaïre-Emery became a key player of the U19s, most notably in December 2021, when he was the standout performer of PSG in the UEFA Youth League: during the last group stage game, helping his team to a 3–2 home win against Club Brugge with a goal and an assist, narrowly qualifying PSG directly to the round of 16.^[3][8] At the age of 15, Zaïre-Emery was called by Mauricio Pochettino to the first team that season.^[2][3] Attracting the attention of several other big European clubs while still yet to sign his first professional contract,^[8][9] he joined Jorge Mendes's agency in March 2022.^[10][11]

2022–23: Debut season and breakthrough

In July 2022, Zaïre-Emery signed his first professional contract with PSG, a three-year deal until 30 June 2025.^[12] Under new coach Christophe Galtier, he made his senior debut in a 2–0 friendly win over Quevilly-Rouen,^[13] and was included in PSG's preseason tour in Japan, where he was in the starting lineup for a 3–0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds.^[14] On 6 August 2022, Zaïre-Emery made his official debut for PSG as a substitute in a 5–0 league win away to Clermont.^[15] His debut at the age of 16 years and 151 days made him the youngest player to appear in an official match for the club, a record which was previously held by El Chadaille Bitshiabu.^[16] On 25 October, Zaïre-Emery made his UEFA Champions League debut as a substitute in a 7–2 home victory over Maccabi Haifa. This made him the youngest player to appear in the Champions League for PSG.^[17] On 7 January 2023, he made his first start in a 3–1 Coupe de France victory away to Châteauroux, becoming the youngest starter in the club's history.^[18] He became the club's youngest starter in Ligue 1 in a 1–0 defeat away to Rennes eight days later.^[19] On 1 February, Zaïre-Emery scored his first senior goal, coming off the bench to cap off a 3–1 victory against Montpellier; in doing so he became PSG's youngest ever goalscorer, aged 16 years and 330 days.^[20] On 14 February, he became the youngest player to start a Champions League knockout game at the age of 16 years and 343 days in a 1–0 loss to Bayern Munich.^[21] At the end of the 2022–23 season, Zaïre-Emery won his first Ligue 1 title.^[22]

2023–24: Establishment as a key player

On 26 August 2023, Zaïre-Emery recorded his first assist for PSG, a pass for Marco Asensio in a 3–1 win over Lens. It made him the youngest PSG player to record a Ligue 1 assist since Opta began analysing this data in 2006.^[23] On 4 October, Zaïre-Emery assisted Lucas Hernandez's header in a 4–1 Champions League defeat away to Newcastle United, making him the youngest French and PSG player to record an assist in the competition.^[24] On 11 October, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide.^[25] Two weeks later, he registered two assists in a 3–0 Champions League victory over AC Milan, becoming the youngest player to reach three assists in the competition. Having won the player of the match award on the night, he also became the youngest player to make twenty starts for PSG.^[26] On 29 October, Zaïre-Emery scored his first goal of the season, a "rocket" into the top corner from outside the box, in a 3–2 away victory over Brest.^[27] In the following game against Montpellier, he scored his first goal at the Parc des Princes in a 3–0 Parisian victory.^[28] On 13 December, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 1–1 away draw against Borussia Dortmund, which qualified his club to the knockout stages.^[29] He also became the youngest French goalscorer in Champions League history at the age of 17 years and 280 days.^[30]

International career

Youth

In April 2022, he was selected with the France under-17 national team for the UEFA Under-17 Euro.^[8] With this 2005 generation, he was the only 2006-born player of the squad.^[31] France went on to win the tournament, with Zaïre-Emery scoring two goals.^[32]

In September 2023, Zaïre-Emery was called up to the France under-21s by newly-appointed coach Thierry Henry. Henry chose to designate Zaïre-Emery as team captain for the matches against Denmark and Slovenia, making him the youngest captain of Les Espoirs in thirty years.^[33][34]

Senior

On 9 November 2023, Zaïre-Emery received his first call-up to the senior France national team, for UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece.^[35] He became the youngest player to be called up for Les Bleus since Maurice Gastiger in 1914, and the third-youngest ever.^[36] He made his debut on 18 November against Gibraltar, scoring a goal in an eventual 14–0 win for France, the largest victory in the team's history.^[37] His goal made him the second-youngest scorer in France's history, only behind Gastiger.^[38] However, in the process of scoring, Zaïre-Emery was on the receiving end of a tackle by Gibraltarian defender Ethan Santos, who was shown a red card after review.^[39] Zaïre-Emery, who came off injured, was reported to have suffered a "serious ankle sprain" that would keep him out of action until the end of 2023.^[40]

Style of play

A defensive midfielder with a decent physique and remarkable technical abilities, Zaïre-Emery is both good at winning the ball and launching the plays, providing structure to its team plays, giving balance to the midfield.^[5][3][6][8]

Good at reading the game, he is described as a player with a very mature personality on the pitch while still in his teenage years, able to often take his responsibilities but still maintaining a calm and disciplined attitude.^[3][5][2][6]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 3 April 2024^[1]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Coupe de France		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Paris Saint-Germain	2022–23	Ligue 1	26	2	2	0	3^[a]	0	0	0	31	2
	2023–24	Ligue 1	23	2	4	0	7^[a]	1	1^[b]	0	35	3
Career total			49	4	6	0	10	1	1	0	66	5

1. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
2. Appearance in Trophée des Champions

International

As of match played 23 March 2024^[1]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
France	2023	1	1
	2024	1	0
Total		2	1

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zaïre-Emery goal.

List of international goals scored by Warren Zaïre-Emery

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	18 November 2023	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	Gibraltar	3–0	14–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Honours

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2022–23^[41]
• Trophée des Champions: 2023^[42]

France U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2022^[43]

Individual

• Titi d'Or: 2022^[44]
• IFFHS Men's World Youth (U20) Team: 2023^[45]

References

1. Warren Zaïre-Emery at Soccerway
2. Bouville, Hugo (14 April 2022). "PSG: qui est Warren Zaïre-Emery, le phénomène parisien de 16 ans promis à un brillant avenir". RMC Sport (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
3. Delaporte, Augustin; Guégan, Hervé (16 December 2021). "Warren Zaire-Emery, le surdoué du PSG". actufoot [fr]. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
4. "PSG : Warren Zaïre-Emery a des racines à Petit-Bourg en Martinique !". globallfoot.com. 28 July 2022.
5. Quarez, Benjamin (15 March 2022). "Warren Zaïre-Emery, 16 ans, le nouveau phénomène du PSG : «C'est sûrement ce que j'ai vu de mieux»". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
6. Delom, Hugo (3 January 2022). "Lavallée, El Hannach, Bodiang, Kari, Zaire-Emery... Qui sont les « titis » de demain du PSG ?". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
7. Jaquin, Alexandre; Tanzi, Loïc (1 March 2022). "PSG-Séville: qui sont les nouveaux talents du PSG en Youth League?". RMC Ssport (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
8. Aouna, Santi; Denis, Sebastien (6 May 2022). "PSG : ça brûle pour Warren Zaïre-Emery". Foot Mercato [fr] (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
9. Chirat, Antoine (21 February 2022). "PSG : un titi devrait passer pro malgré les convoitises allemandes". Onze Mondial (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
10. Déchelotte, Arnaud (17 March 2022). "PSG : une pépite du club choisit Jorge Mendes comme agent !". Onze Mondial (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
11. Toison, Nicolas (18 March 2022). "Warren Zaire-Emery rejoint l'agent de Cristiano Ronaldo". Sportune (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
12. "Warren Zaire-Emery signs his first professional contract". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
13. "Paris Saint-Germain V Quevilly Rouen" (in French). Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
14. "Urawa Red Diamonds V Paris Saint-Germain" (in French). Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
15. "Clermont vs. PSG - 6 August 2022". Retrieved 6 August 2022.
16. "Zaïre-Emery devient le plus jeune joueur de l'histoire du PSG" (in French). L'Équipe. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
17. "Zaïre-Emery the club's youngest player in the Champions League!". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
18. "Warren Zaïre-Emery becomes the youngest starter in the club's history". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
19. "Another record for Warren Zaire-Emery!". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 15 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
20. @OptaJean (1 February 2023). "16&330 - A 16 ans et 330 jours, Warren Zaïre-Emery est devenu le plus jeune buteur de l'histoire de Paris en Ligue 1" (Tweet) (in French) – via Twitter.
21. Hindle, Thomas (14 February 2023). "Who is Warren Zaire-Emery? PSG's 16-year-old wonderkid set to start vs Bayern Munich in Champions League last-16 tie". Goal.com.
22. "PSG wins record 11th French title". Le Monde.fr. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
23. "Stats & facts: A look back at the win over Lens". Paris Saint-Germain. 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
24. "PSG midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery becomes youngest ever Frenchman to provide an assist in the Champions League - Get French Football News". 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
25. Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (11 October 2023). "Next Generation 2023: 60 of the best young talents in world football". theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
26. "Warren Zaire-Emery announces arrival in PSG's dominant Champions League win over Milan". CBSSports.com. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
27. "PLAYER RATINGS | Brest 2 - 3 PSG: Mbappé's brace saves Paris' blushes - Get French Football News". 29 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
28. "Paris reçu 5 sur 5 face à Montpellier !" (in French). Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
29. "PSG edge through behind Dortmund as Zaïre-Emery hints at exciting future". The Guardian. 13 December 2023.
30. "Ligue des champions : devant Benzema et Mbappé, Zaïre-Emery plus jeune buteur français de l'histoire de la compétition". Le Figaro (in French). 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
31. Tanzi, Loïc (12 May 2022). "Euro U17: Tel, Zaire-Emery, Bitshiabu... les talents Scouting RMC à suivre". RMC Sport (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2022.
32. "Final: France 2–1 Netherlands: Line-ups". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
33. "Equipe de France : Zaïre-Emery capitaine des Espoirs, Henry s'explique". OneFootball. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
34. "« Je voulais voir ce qu'il avait dans le ventre » : Henry adoube Zaïre-Emery comme capitaine des Espoirs". leparisien.fr (in French). 7 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
35. "Équipe de France: Deschamps convoque Zaïre-Emery, le nouveau phénomène du foot français" [French team: Deschamps summons Zaire-Emery, the new phenomenon of French football]. Le Figaro (in French). 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
36. "PSG prodigy Warren Zaïre-Emery gets senior France call!". Ligue1 COM. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
37. "France debut goal shows why PSG's young superstar Warren Zaire-Emery is so special". CBS Sports. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
38. "France - Gibraltar : Zaïre-Emery plus jeune buteur de l'histoire des Bleus d'après-guerre... et blessé dans la foulée" (in French). La Voix du Nord. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
39. "France makes history after putting 14 past hapless Gibraltar". beIN SPORTS. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
40. "Warren Zaïre-Emery out for the rest of 2023 following ankle injury on France debut - Get French Football News". 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
41. Scott, Andy (27 May 2023). "PSG win record 11th French title". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
42. "Paris start 2024 with Trophée des Champions triumph!". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
43. "Final: France 2–1 Netherlands: Line-ups". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
44. "Warren Zaïre-Emery et Océane Toussaint sacrés Titi d'Or 2022" (in French). 27 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
45. "IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH (U20) WORLD TEAM 2023". IFFHS. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.

External links

• Warren Zaïre-Emery at Soccerway
• Warren Zaïre-Emery at the French Football Federation (in French)