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.
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 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.
Early life
Warren Zaïre-Emery was born in Montreuil, growing up in the Île-de-France. His father was also a footballer, having played with the Red Star in Seine-Saint-Denis.
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.
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. 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. 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. At the age of 15, Zaïre-Emery was called by Mauricio Pochettino to the first team that season. Attracting the attention of several other big European clubs while still yet to sign his first professional contract, he joined Jorge Mendes's agency in March 2022.
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. Under new coach Christophe Galtier, he made his senior debut in a 2–0 friendly win over Quevilly-Rouen, 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. On 6 August 2022, Zaïre-Emery made his official debut for PSG as a substitute in a 5–0 league win away to Clermont. 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. 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. 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. He became the club's youngest starter in Ligue 1 in a 1–0 defeat away to Rennes eight days later. 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. 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. At the end of the 2022–23 season, Zaïre-Emery won his first Ligue 1 title.
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. 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. On 11 October, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide. 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. 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.
International career
Of Martiniquais descent, Zaïre-Emery is a French youth international. In April 2022, he was selected with the France under-17 national team for the UEFA Under-17 Euro. With this 2005 generation, he was the only 2006-born player of the squad. France went on to win the tournament, with Zaïre-Emery scoring two goals.
In September 2023, Zaïre-Emery received his first call-up to the France under-21s by newly-appointed coach Thierry Henry. Henry chose to designated Zaïre-Emery as team captain for the matches against Denmark and Slovenia, making him the youngest captain of Les Espoirs in thirty years.
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.
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.
Career statistics
Honours
Paris Saint-Germain
Ligue 1: 2022–23
France U17
UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2022
Individual
Titi d'Or: 2022
References
External links
2006 births
Living people
Black French sportspeople
French people of Martiniquais descent
Footballers from Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis
French men's footballers
France men's youth international footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Ligue 1 players
FCM Aubervilliers players
Paris Saint-Germain F.C. players