Warren Zaïre-Emery: The Next King of Paris?
By: Anthony Tazbaz
Image Credit: Jannik Skorna
Player Name: Warren Zaïre-Emery
Age: 17
Height: 1,78m (6 ft, 2 in)
Nationality: France 🇫🇷
Position: Central Midfield
Club: Paris Saint-Germain 🇫🇷
Market Value: €50m
Warren Zaïre-Emery (WZE) scored two goals in the past two weeks and became the first French player to play in seven UEFA Champions League matches, promptly earning him praise! How did such a young player graduate out of one of the world's best academies to being admonished by French national team coaches/legendary players Thierry Henry and Didier Deschamps and current player Kingsley Coman? Discover the answer below as this article tells the story of the next French star and how he rose to prominence and gained admiration from legends of the game.
Youth Teams and Rise at PSG
Born on 8 March 2006 and raised in the south-eastern Parisian suburb of Montreuil, WZE has forever held a connection to the French capital and the only club in the Île-de-France region competing in Ligue 1, France's top football tier. His father, Franck Emery, played for multiple clubs in the lower levels, including Parisian club Red Star, before playing his final season at FCM Aubervilliers during the 2002-03 season. WZE's first step into the football realm was to join his father's former club, FCM Aubervilliers, in 2011 at five years old before joining the PSG academy three years later.
Once at the academy, the young midfielder rose through the ranks and started making a name for himself. After already impressing PSG coaches during his tenure at Aubervilliers, WZE always featured in teams above his age group. For instance, he began playing for the U17 club in 2020, aged only 14. Less than two years later, he featured in the U-19 squad at 15 years old, the youngest to achieve such a feat.
Despite his age, WZE gained a starting role during his tenure on the U-19 team. He also began training with the senior team by his 16th birthday and eventually gained a call-up to the first team during the 2022-23 season under then-manager Christophe Galtier.
Taking Major Rookie Steps
Zaïre-Emery signed his first professional contract — a three-year deal until 30 June 2025 — in July 2022. After an impressive pre-season, the Frenchman made his professional debut in PSG's Ligue 1 opener against Clermont Foot, a 5-0 victory for the capital club. The debut resulted in WZE becoming the youngest player — 16 years and 151 days — to feature in an official match for the club, previously held by former PSG academy graduate El Chadille Bitshiabu.
The young prodigy continued to make history by first appearing in matches, then becoming the youngest PSG player to play in the UEFA Champions League after coming on as a substitute in a 7-2 victory against Maccabi Haifa. He also became the youngest starter in PSG history after featuring in the starting lineup for the first time in a Coupe de France match against LB Châteauroux on 7 January 2023. PSG emerged victorious against the third division club by a 3-1 score.
Within the following 30 days, he became the club's youngest player to start in both Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League matches — 1-0 losses against Stade Rennais and Bayern Munich, respectively. Due to a thinly stretched midfield amid injuries and a lack of veteran depth, WZE faced the immense pressure of starting in both of PSG's UCL knockout stage matches against German champions Bayern Munich, to whom the French club eventually lost 3-0 on aggregate (1-0 home, 2-0 away). Carrying out this difficult task enabled him to etch his name in the history books by becoming the youngest player to start a UCL match at the age of 16 years and 343 days.
During this period, WZE also scored his first professional goal in a 3-1 victory against Montpellier HSC, also becoming the club's youngest goalscorer at the age of 16 years and 330 days. By the end of his rookie season, WZE had won the 2022-23 Ligue 1 title, his first piece of silverware.
Player Profile
A defensive midfielder, WZE's style of play can be best described as a box-to-box midfielder. His impeccable work ethic and tenacious defence — coupled with the identical skills of teammate Manuel Ugarte — makes him a dynamo in the midfield, causing constant headaches for attacking players, who witness their chances drastically diminish whenever both players are on the pitch. However, many teammates and opponents currently rank higher than WZE who, according to Opta, ranks in the 32nd and 37th percentile amongst midfielders in interceptions and tackles within the past year (2155 minutes) and in the 48th and 51st percentile for clearances and blocks.
His stoic approach and his transition game in the middle of the pitch also proves invaluable to the club, who desperately needed a player capable of excelling both offensively and defensively. His passes are of tremendous quality for such a young player and he possesses acute awareness on proper positioning — a difficult task in a top league, even for veteran midfielders. According to the same metric used to calculate his defensive qualities, WZE ranks far higher in his offensive capabilities from passes to take-ons and carries. His passing completion ranks in the 98th percentile, an elite feat for such a young player!
Over time, his positioning also translated into becoming an offensive pillar for the club. With the passing of every match, the Frenchman becomes far better positioned to take a shot or score a goal, something that was sorely lacking during his rookie season.
His confidence also enabled him to show the world his incredible shot, a new trick hidden up his sleeve. Although his supposed first goal of the season against Toulouse FC on the second matchday was disallowed, it was a world class strike. However, he managed to showcase a similar display in PSG's last two Ligue 1 matches against Stade Brestois and Montpellier HSC (again), scoring two goals — both valid this time.
Skyrocketing Value
Source: Transfermarkt
Although WZE graduated from the academy with such high esteem and a €5m valuation, his skyrocketing remains astonishingly impressive. Within his first pro year, his value appreciated by €45m, now at €50m. His strong preseason performances in Korea and Japan and his astronomic start to the season led to a €30m increase since the end of last season.
With such a high value despite his age, PSG claimed the player to be 'untouchable'. It is clear that not only is WZE staying at PSG, but he is the future of PSG. A player of his calibre means that he is undoubtedly well regarded at PSG, higher than former PSG prodigies Adrien Rabiot and Kingsley Coman.
At this pace, WZE could reach €100m within a year. A conservative estimation would require two to three years. Nevertheless, being valued at €100m by 19-20 years old would be far better than most — a dream for young aspiring football/soccer players.
Destined for Glory
With his ascension reaching those of few other world-class players, WZE can reach limits beyond the sky. Should he continue to improve his skills and maintain his work ethic, the Frenchman could further cement his place as a perennial star, a homegrown one for that matter. It is astonishing to see how quickly Zaïre-Emery, along with Ugarte, has replaced Italian and PSG legend Marco Verratti following his departure to Qatari club Al-Arabi during the Summer.
Luis Enrique is proving to be WZE's ideal boss as his tactics perfectly suit the young player. Lately, WZE received the call to feature on Tierry Henry's U23 French team, who are preparing to host the Summer Olympics next year in Paris. Moreover, WZE's performances just earned him his first call-up to Didier Deschamps's senior team. Fellow countryman and former PSG prodigy Kingsley Coman verbally welcomed the prospect of WZE joining Les Bleus in their quest for the 2024 European Championship. His call-up serves ultimately as the perfect opportunity to earn his first cap, given France's confirmed qualification for the final tournament held in Germany starting next June.
In essence, his dominant presence on the pitch, his maturity, advanced skillset, and work ethic will undoubtedly culminate into a key player for both club and country.
Moreover, this young star could ultimately become PSG's captain should he remain at the club long enough. With defender Marquinhos currently at the helm, many PSG supporters believe that fellow defender — and PSG academy graduate — Presnel Kimpembe will preside over the captaincy. However, WZE's age and impressive maturity form key elements suggesting that the player could still become club captain after Kimpembe's likely reign.
Finally, WZE has the potential to become one of the world's best midfielders. Despite being a more defensive player, he could directly compete with the likes of Golden Boy winner Jude Bellingham, Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala and FC Barcelona's Gavi. WZE ultimately finished 17th in the Golden Boy award rankings. However, it remains to be seen whether WZE can materialize into a contender for the Ballon d'Or, whereby the race will also include future legends Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Luka Modrić constitutes the last defensive player to win the grand prize (2018). Before that, Italian centre-back Fabio Cannavaro was the only other defensive player to win the award (2006). Needless to say, winning the Ballon d'Or would be incredibly ambitious and glorious for WZE. However, never rule out anything when mentioning Warren Zaïre-Emery in a conversation. As the French commonly say: Il est tout un crack.
