Nathan Zézé
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 June 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Nantes, France | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Neom | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2013 | US Loire et Divatt | ||
| 2013–2023 | Nantes | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2025 | Nantes B | 28 | (1) |
| 2023–2025 | Nantes | 32 | (0) |
| 2025– | Neom | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021 | France U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | France U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2024– | France U21 | 3 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 09:34, 23 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 17 June 2025 | |||
Nathan Zézé (born 18 June 2005) is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Saudi Pro League club Neom.[1]
Early life
[edit]Having grown up in La Varenne, just North-East of the Nantes Metropolis, Nathan Zézé joined the Nantes Academy as an under-9.[2]
Club career
[edit]Growing through the youth ranks of the team from Brittany, Zézé came to captain its under-17 and under-19 sides,[2] despite being the youngest on the pitch when he first captained the latter in 2021.[3] During the 2021–22 season he helped the under-19s to a national title, qualifying them for the European Youth League.[3]
At the start of the 2022–23 season, Zézé moved to the reserve National 2 team, whilst also playing the UEFA Youth League.[2][4]
Having already appeared on the team sheet in Ligue 1 against Auxerre during the previous encounter,[5][6] Zézé made his professional debut for Nantes on the 7 January 2023, during the 2–0 away Coupe de France win to AF Virois. He replaced an injured Nicolas Pallois before half-time, as his team had just scored its first goal, Zézé helping them to keep a clean-sheet for the rest of the game.[5][7][8]
On 28 July 2025, Zézé joined Saudi First Division League club Neom.[9]
International career
[edit]Zézé is a youth international for France, having played with France under-17s until 2021,[3][10] before being selected with the under-18 for the Tournoi de Limoges the following year.[11]
Style of play
[edit]A left-footed centre-back, Zézé is described as a tall and strong defender with good placement and anticipation, able to frequently win aerial duels and score headers, while also having many ball-playing qualities, comfortable with both short and long passes.[2][3]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 17 May 2025
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Nantes B | 2022–23 | CFA 2 | 22 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | National 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | National 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 28 | 1 | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Nantes | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| Total | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 70 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 1 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Nathan Zézé at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d Soyer, Julien (12 July 2022). "FC Nantes. N2 : zoom sur quatre Jaunes plein d'avenir". Ouest-France. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d Le Guirinec, Louis (18 August 2022). "Un jour, un jeune. Episode 5 : Nathan Zézé, la promesse". La Maison Jaune (in French). Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "FC Nantes. Quatre jeunes en passe de signer leur premier contrat professionnel". Ouest-France. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ a b Cazzola, Florian (7 January 2023). "Coupe de France : qualification tranquille du FC Nantes face aux amateurs de Vire". France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ Ripoche, Antoine (31 December 2022). "FC Nantes. Pedro Chirivella absent du groupe pour la réception d'Auxerre". Ouest-France. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ Soyer, Julien (8 January 2023). "Coupe de France. FC Nantes : Doucet, Diaz, Zézé… Face à Vire, une jeunesse au niveau". Ouest-France. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ Y.F. (7 January 2023). "Coupe de France : première apparition en pro pour Nathan Zeze". Tribune Nantaise (in French). Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "Mercato : Nathan Zézé officiellement cédé à Neom, plus grosse vente de l'histoire de Nantes" [Transfer Market: Nathan Zézé officially sold to Neom, biggest sale in Nantes' history]. L'Équipe (in French). 29 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ "Nathan Zézé appelé en Equipe de France U17". Actufoot. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ Canivenc, Clovis (16 September 2022). "Equipe de France U18Ilyes Housni convoqué avec la France U18". MadeinParisiens. Ouest-France. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
External links
[edit]- Nathan Zézé at Soccerway
- Nathan Zézé at the French Football Federation (in French)
- Nathan Zézé – UEFA competition record (archive)
- 2005 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Nantes
- French men's footballers
- France men's youth international footballers
- French sportspeople of Ivorian descent
- Men's association football defenders
- FC Nantes players
- Neom SC players
- Championnat National 2 players
- Ligue 1 players
- Saudi First Division League players
- 21st-century French sportsmen
- French expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia
- French expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia