Katie Zelem

Katie Zelem

Katie Zelem in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1996-01-20) 20 January 1996
Place of birth	Oldham, United Kingdom[1]
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Liverpool Ladies
Number	20
Youth career
2004-2013	Manchester United Girls' Centre of Excellence
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2013-	Liverpool Ladies	9	(3)
National team‡
2010	England Under-15	2	(1)
2011–12	England Under-17	14	(4)
2013–	England Under-19	19	(9)
2014–	England Under-20	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 January 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2015

Katie Zelem (born 20 January 1996) is an English football midfielder who plays for Liverpool Ladies of the FA WSL. She has also represented England at the youth level.

Club career

Zelem started playing football when she was six. Her father had a big role in her early career. At the age of eight, she joined Manchester United Girls' Centre of Excellence. Her youth coach Emma Fletcher said Zelem has a great attitude and appetence to learning and understanding the game.^[2] Matt Beard, Liverpool Ladies' coach signed this promising midfielder in 2013. Zelem is an attacking midfielder with two good feet, can pick a pass out and finish as well. She was in the Liverpool squad for the first time on 8 August 2013, when Liverpool lost to Arsenal Ladies 0 - 1 but she didn't play.

Zelem who came back from her broken collarbone injury in early 2014 made her debut for the senior team on 29 June 2014 in a match against Arsenal Ladies, where she played for 58 minutes before being replaced by Nina Pedersen.^[3] A week later, Zelem scored her first goal for the senior team in a Continental Cup match against Durham Women FC. They won 1 - 7 over Durham ^[4] with Zelem scoring two goals, as both of them were headers and all assisted by Lucy Bronze.

Zelem greatly admired Fara Williams, who became her role model in developing the game as a midfielder. Zelem feels lucky that she can learn and play along the hard worker figure like Fara.^[5] Beard also praised Zelem who looks like Frank Lampard and believed she has great career in the future.^[6] Zelem has played more for the Liverpool Ladies Development Squad since 2013 until now, with her contract extended, Zelem will struggle for a regular spot as starter in every match.

International career

Zelem debuted for England as she played in a dual-game versus Netherlands in March 2010, and she also scored her debut goal. Zelem is one of 21 players who represented England in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada. Coached by Mo Marley, Zelem became the power and playmaker of England's midfield line. Unfortunately, England did not get through to the knock-out phrase of the tournament after being defeated by Nigeria 2-1 in the last game of group C.

Achievements and Personal Life

Zelem was the 2014 Liverpool Ladies Young Player of The Year and also nominated for Women's Super League Development Player of the Year with Carla Humphrey and Natasha Baptiste by the FA.^[7]

Martha Harris (Zelem's best friend and also Liverpool L.F.C. player) says: "Katie is a very cheeky player. She is clever on the pitch but is also a risk taker! Off the pitch, she never shuts up. She is always the loudest and probably needs an on/off button."^[8] Zelem also likes to capture the moments with her friends in the national team and shares it on her YouTube profile.^[9]

References

External links

• Katie Zelem on Twitter
• Katie Zelem on Instagram
• Katie Zelem – FIFA competition record
• Katie Zelem – UEFA competition record
• Football Association player profile
• Liverpool LFC player profile