Kurt Zouma of West Ham United has opened up on how the disturbing video of him kicking his cat hurt him and his family.
In February 2022, a video surfaced showing Zouma and his brother Yoan mistreating a cat in Zouma’s kitchen.
Following that event, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) prosecuted the two siblings.
In addition to his sentence, he was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid community work, pay costs amounting to £8,887, and was prohibited from owning cats for five years.
According to reports, The RSPCA confiscated his two pet cats, and West Ham imposed a fine of £250,000 on him but did not suspend him.
Subsequently, Zouma issued a sincere apology after pleading guilty to the mistreatment of his pet.
During a recent interview with the Evening Standard, Zouma expressed his regret for his previous actions and acknowledged the negative impact it had on himself and his loved ones.
Zouma stated that it has been a challenging period for him and his family.
He said: “We have experienced many things together.”
“I acknowledge that I made a mistake, and I understand that it was a significant one. I apologize once more for my actions, but it’s important to keep moving forward in life.”
“My family, including my wife and kids, as well as those around me such as my friends at the club, fellow players, and fans, have all been a tremendous source of support for me during difficult times.”
“The situation had an impact on me, but I received assistance and have managed to maintain a positive attitude because that is my nature.”
However, Zouma faced ridicule from fans of the opposing team in the aftermath.
As the rival fans made their way to the London Stadium, they were spotted carrying inflatable cats.
West Ham manager David Moyes backs Zouma
Despite acknowledging that his actions were ‘diabolical’, West Ham manager David Moyes persisted in playing Zouma.
Ahead of their trip to Leicester in February, Moyes stated that everyone makes mistakes in life.
He said: “I do not approve of his actions. We all agreed that they (Zouma and his brother) were wicked. However, we have decided to play him and I firmly support that choice.”
Zouma, in return, expressed gratitude towards the West Ham fans for their support and shared his aspiration to reciprocate by winning a trophy for the club.
Since joining West Ham from Chelsea in 2021, Zouma has played a crucial role for the team and has appeared in all but one of their Europa Conference League knockout matches.
The Hammers are looking forward to winning their first European trophy in 58 years as they prepare to face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on June 7.
Zouma believes that winning the Conference League would hold more significance than his previous Champions League victory with Chelsea in 2021.
Who is Kurt Zouma?
Kurt Zouma is a French professional footballer who plays as a center-back for Premier League club West Ham United and the France national team.
He was born on the 27th of October, 1994 and he’s currently 28 years old.
His club Career
Zouma started his career at Saint-Étienne, where he made his professional debut at the age of 16.
He later went on to win the Coupe de la Ligue with the club in 2013.
In January 2014, Zouma signed with Chelsea for a fee of £12 million.
However, he was immediately loaned back to his former French club for the remainder of the season.
Zouma played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s victorious campaign during his first full season in England, contributing to their triumphs in both the League Cup and the Premier League.
Zouma signed a loan deal with Stoke City for the 2017-2018 season in July 2017.
After that, the French man was loaned to Everton for the 2018-19 season.
Zouma has played 31 matches for West Ham this season and he managed to score two goals, creating no assist.
In total, Zouma has played 365 matches in his club career so far and scored 20 goals with 10 assists across all competitions.
International Career
Zouma has represented France at various youth levels, including the under-21 team.
On March 29, 2015, he made his senior international debut against Denmark.
Kurt Zouma titles won
Kurt Zouma has won seven trophies in his entire career. He won five trophies at the club level.
He hoisted one Champions League Cup, 2 English Champions, 1 UEFA SuperCup, 1 English League Cup, and 1 French League Cup.
At the International level, he won the U-20 World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Nations League for France.
His salary and net worth.
Zouma is reportedly the club’s top earner, on £ 125,000 per week. The 27-year-old joined West Ham on a four-year contract from Chelsea for a £29.8million transfer fee.
The 28-year-old French professional footballer has an estimated net worth of $5 million.
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