Kurt Zouma, now West Ham United captain following Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal, is eyeing the UEFA Europa League trophy with fervour. Under his leadership, the team has reached seventh in the Premier League and is in its third consecutive European quarter-final. Zouma, who played a key role in the team’s UEFA Europa Conference League triumph, is hungry for more success.
“Lifting the Europa League trophy would be a dream come true,” Zouma remarked, reflecting on his journey from joining West Ham from Chelsea in 2021. He treasures the role of captain, highlighting the honour and responsibility of leading in high-stakes matches.
West Ham’s journey through Europe continues with a challenging quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso. Despite Leverkusen’s unbeaten run, Zouma is optimistic, drawing on West Ham’s recent European experience and success.
Zouma emphasised the team’s readiness to face top-tier competition, stating, “We’re prepared to challenge the best to progress.” He believes in The Irons capability to end Leverkusen’s impressive streak and advance in the tournament, bolstered by the team’s past achievements and collective confidence.
Zouma and his teammates are certainly saying all the right things. We can only hope they are as confident on Thursday as they appear to be when talking to the media.