Happy 33rd birthday to Wilfried Zaha, one of the most electric wingers English football has seen in years. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, but growing up in Croydon, England, Zaha’s journey from a Palace academy kid to international star has been full of twists, drama, and some straight-up magic. Those dribbles, the insane pace, the way he leaves defenders frozen – Zaha has always been something else.
Softfootball reports that he made his senior debut for Crystal Palace at 17, and fans fell in love instantly. The 2013 Championship play-off was majestic He scored in both semis and calmly slotted the winning penalty at Wembley. That season he bagged a spot in the PFA Championship Team of the Year and also won the Football League Young Player of the Year award.
Crystal Palace, despite dropping points in the goalless draw against Brighton, sent a beautiful birthday wish to Zaha in a beautiful reminder of their appreciation for him in a post made via their official X account.
They posted:
In 2013, he moved to Manchester United for £10 million, becoming Sir Alex Ferguson’s final signing. Didn’t really work out though, only four appearances, but hey, he did win a Community Shield. Back to Palace on loan in 2014 and permanently in 2015, Zaha exploded into the club’s top Premier League scorer, netting 68 goals in 291 games. Four-time Player of the Year too, including three back-to-back, club record-breaking times.
Just like his birthday partner Joao Felix, who turns 28 today, Zaha is known for pace, dribbles, and embarrassing defenders one-on-one, Zaha redefined what a winger could do in the Premier League. He even bagged Premier League Player of the Month in April 2018. Crystal Palace also uploaded a video of Wilfried Zaha’s dancing feet in the colours of the club in a post made via their official X account.
Watch the video below:
On the international stage, he switched from England to the Ivory Coast in 2017, racking up 33 caps and five goals, two of which came at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
His current club, Charlotte FC, also sent wishes to him in a post made via their official X account.
They posted:
Now on loan at Charlotte FC from Galatasaray, where he won the 2023–24 Süper Lig title, Zaha is still showing he’s got that spark. Croydon’s own dribbling wizard keeps giving fans moments to remember, and honestly, we’re just lucky to watch it.
