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English footballer (born 1996)

Katie Zelem
Zelem with Manchester United in 2023
Personal information
Full name Katie Leigh Zelem
Date of birth (1996-01-20) 20 January 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Failsworth, England
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team Angel City
Number 4
Youth career
2004–2013 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2017 Liverpool 38 (10)
2017–2018 Juventus 18 (4)
2018–2024 Manchester United 115 (26)
2024– Angel City 10 (0)
International career
2010 England U15 2 (0)
2011–2012 England U17 14 (4)
2013–2015 England U19 30 (10)
2014–2016 England U20 6 (0)
2016 England U23 2 (0)
2021– England 12 (0)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  England
FIFA Women's World Cup
Runner-up 2023 Australia and New Zealand
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 September 2023

Katie Leigh Zelem (born 20 January 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club Angel City and the England women's national team. Zelem previously played for Liverpool where she twice won the WSL in 2013 and 2014, as well as Italian side Juventus, winning Serie A in the 2017-2018 season with the club. She then joined Manchester United, the club she came through the academy of to win the Women's Championship in their inaugural 2018-2019 season and later captained the team to an FA Cup title in 2024.

Zelem has also represented England from U15 to U23 levels, scoring 14 goals in total, prior to making her senior debut in 2021, after previously training with the squad in 2020. With the England senior team, she is a twice Arnold Clark Cup winner as well as a 2023 World Cup runner-up.

Club career

Early career

Zelem started playing football when she was six. At the age of eight, she joined Manchester United Girls' Centre of Excellence. Her youth coach Emma Fletcher said Zelem showed a great attitude and appetite for learning and understanding the game.

Liverpool

With no professional setup at United, Zelem joined Liverpool in 2013. She was in the Liverpool squad for the first time on 3 August 2013 when Liverpool lost 3–0 to Arsenal, however, she did not play.

On 11 April 2014, Zelem suffered a broken collarbone, while on international duty for England under-19, and missed the start of the 2014 FA WSL season. After recovering from injury, she made her senior team debut on 29 June 2014, before being substituted for Nina Frausing-Pedersen in the 58th minute, in a 1–0 defeat against Arsenal in the FA WSL. A week later, Zelem scored her first senior goals in a 7–1 win against Durham in the Continental Cup. She scored two headers, both assisted by Lucy Bronze.

On 12 October 2014, Zelem was an unused substitute in Liverpool's win against Bristol City, as they retained the FA WSL title after a dramatic final day of the season. In November 2014, Zelem was nominated by The FA for the WSL Development Player of the Year, alongside Carla Humphrey and Natasha Baptiste. In the same month, Zelem was named Liverpool's Young Player of the Year. Liverpool coach Matt Beard praised Zelem, likening her to Frank Lampard and stating she has great career in the future. In December, Zelem signed a new contract.

In November 2015, Zelem penned a new contract with Liverpool.

Juventus

In August 2017, she moved to Juventus for an undisclosed fee. On 9 September, Zelem scored her first goal, on her competitive debut, for Juventus in an 8–0 win over Torino in the Coppa Italia. Zelem played a total of four games, scoring two goals in the competition as Juventus lost 1–0 to Brescia in the quarter-final on 2 May 2018.

On 30 September 2017, Zelem made her first Serie A appearance as a substitute in the club's inaugural match, a 3–0 win at Atalanta. Three weeks later, Zelem scored her first league goal in a 4–1 win against Empoli. On 20 May 2018, Juventus won the Serie A title in their first ever season in existence after defeating Brescia in a penalty shoot-out in the Championship playoff. Zelem left at the end of the campaign.

Manchester United

Zelem playing in an FA Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion in 2019.

In July 2018, Zelem joined Manchester United for their inaugural season in the FA Women's Championship for the 2018–19 season, one of seven players to return to the senior side having played for the club at youth level. She made her competitive debut for Manchester United in a 1–0 League Cup victory against former club Liverpool on 19 August. In the opening game of the 2018–19 Championship season, she scored her first goal for United, on her league debut, from the penalty spot in a 12–0 win away to Aston Villa. Zelem was voted FA Women's Championship Player of the Month for March 2019. At the end of the season, Zelem was named Manchester United Women's Player of the Year. In doing so, she became the first player to win the award.

Following the departure of Alex Greenwood in August 2019, Zelem was named as club captain ahead of the 2019–20 season. Zelem scored her first goal of the season, a penalty, in Manchester United's 2–0 WSL win against Liverpool on 28 September. In a 1–1 draw against Reading on 2 February 2020, a penalty was awarded against Zelem after she was penalised for a handball, despite the ball hitting her head, leading to criticism of the standard of refereeing.

Zelem (centre) playing for Manchester United against Lewes in 2023.

Across two consecutive games in 2022, Zelem scored three Olympico goals directly from corner kicks, one during a 1–4 exit to Manchester City in the FA Cup and two in a 4–0 WSL victory over Leicester City.

On 17 February 2024, Zelem played her 150th match for Manchester United, featuring in a 3–1 league defeat to Arsenal. She left the club at the end of the 2023–24 season, at the expiration of her contract. At the time of her departure, Zelem was the third-highest goalscorer for United and had made the second-most appearances for the club behind Ella Toone.

Angel City

On 12 August 2024, Angel City announced the signing of Zelem on a contract through to the end of 2026. Zelem made her NWSL debut for Angel City on 24 August 2024 in an away match against San Diego Wave, closing out the match to secure a 2–1 victory. Zelem recorded her first assist for Angel City on 12 October 2024, setting up former Manchester United teammate Christen Press' first goal since returning from a two-year ACL injury, in an 1–1 draw away against North Carolina Courage.

International career

Youth

Zelem made her youth debut for England for the under-15s when she played against Netherlands in March 2010. In August 2013, Zelem was part of the England under-19 team who finished as runners-up to France at the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Wales.

In February 2014, Zelem was named in the England under-19 squad for the 2014 La Manga Tournament in March. In August, she represented England under-20 at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada. Coached by Mo Marley, Zelem was used as the playmaker of England's midfield. After draws with South Korea and Mexico, England failed to progress to the knock-out stage after being defeated by eventual finalists Nigeria 2–1 in the final group game. In July 2015, Zelem was named in the England under-19 squad for the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Israel. England finished bottom of group B and did not progress.

Senior

After her youth career, Zelem was not called into the senior squad for several years, but impressed Phil Neville after being named captain of Manchester United, receiving her first call into senior training in September 2020. Part of a 30-player training camp at St George's Park, she was later forced to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. Having been an unused substitute in three previous 2023 World Cup qualifying matches under new manager Sarina Wiegman, Zelem made her England debut on 30 November 2021 as a 71st-minute substitute during an England-record 20–0 win against Latvia. Zelem was named as part of England's 28-player preliminary squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2022, but did not make the final squad.

On 18 November 2022, her England legacy number was announced as number 221, and in May 2023, she was named in England's squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in July that year.

Style of play

Speaking in 2014, Martha Harris, Zelem's best friend and Liverpool teammate, rated Zelem as "a very cheeky player clever on the pitch but is also a risk taker". She began her career as a winger, developing this under the Italian style while playing for Juventus to fit more into a central role when returning to Manchester. She is described as an attacking midfielder with two good feet, who can pick a pass out and finish as well. In the England squad, Zelem has instead been utilised as a defensive midfielder.

Personal life

Born in Failsworth, Zelem is the daughter of former Macclesfield goalkeeper Alan Zelem, whose twin brother is former professional footballer Peter Zelem. She was educated at The Blue Coat School, Oldham.

Zelem greatly admired Fara Williams, who became her role model in developing the game as a midfielder. Zelem considered herself fortunate that she can learn and play alongside a hard-working figure like Williams.

On 12 July 2023, Zelem was elected to the PFA Players' Board, taking over from Manchester City's Steph Houghton, who stepped down.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 1 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Liverpool 2014 WSL 1 7 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 9 3
2015 9 0 0 0 6 0 2 0 17 0
2016 15 6 0 0 2 0 2 0 19 6
2017 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 3
Total 38 10 0 0 10 2 4 0 52 12
Juventus 2017–18 Serie A 18 4 4 2 0 0 0 0 22 6
Manchester United 2018–19 Championship 18 10 2 0 6 1 — 26 11
2019–20 WSL 14 5 1 0 6 2 — 21 7
2020–21 18 2 2 0 3 0 — 23 2
2021–22 22 5 2 1 5 1 — 29 7
2022–23 21 3 5 0 4 0 — 30 3
2023–24 22 1 5 0 3 1 2 0 32 2
Total 115 26 17 1 27 5 2 0 161 32
Angel City FC 2024 NWSL 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Career total 181 40 21 3 37 7 6 0 245 50
  1. Includes the Italian Women's Cup and Women's FA Cup
  2. Includes the WSL Cup/Women's League Cup
  3. Includes the UEFA Women's Champions League

International

As of match played 26 September 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
England 2021 1 0
2022 4 0
2023 7 0
Total 12 0

Honours

Liverpool

Juventus

Manchester United

England

Individual

References

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External links

Angel City FC – current squad
England squad – 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup runners-up
England
Manchester United Women's Player of the Year awards
Player of the Year
Players' Player of the Year
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