Gedion Zelalem
Zelalem playing for Arsenal U21 in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gedion Zelalem | ||
| Date of birth | January 26, 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Berlin, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
VVV-Venlo | ||
| Number | 33 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2003 | BFC Germania 1888 | ||
| 2003–2006 | Hertha BSC | ||
| 2006–2008 | MSC United | ||
| 2009–2011 | Bethesda SC | ||
| 2011–2013 | Olney Rangers | ||
| 2013–2014 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014– | Arsenal | 0 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | → Rangers (loan) | 21 | (0) |
| 2017– | → VVV-Venlo (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2012 | Germany U15 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Germany U16 | 8 | (0) |
| 2013 | Germany U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2015– | United States U20 | 6 | (0) |
| 2015– | United States U23 | 3 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:55, 24 January 2017 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of November 12, 2015 |
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Gedion Zelalem (born January 26, 1997) is a German-born American professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eerste Divisie club VVV-Venlo, on loan from Arsenal.
After playing for various youth teams in Germany and the United States, Zelalem initially played with Arsenal's youth squads after joining the team in early 2013, and made his senior squad debut for Arsenal in an FA Cup match in January 2014.
Internationally, Zelalem made appearances for Germany's under-15 team, under-16 team and under-17 team during 2012 and 2013. He became a U.S. citizen on December 29, 2014, and FIFA subsequently approved his eligibility to play for the United States on May 13, 2015.
Zelalem was born in Berlin, Germany, to Ethiopian parents. He started playing football at the age of five for German club BFC Germania 1888. After this, he changed to Bundesliga side Hertha BSC's academy.
Zelalem emigrated to the United States with his father in 2006, following his mother's death in the previous year, and settled in Washington, D.C.. He played with several teams: first with MSC United and Bethesda Soccer Club, before joining the elite club team Olney Rangers and the varsity team at Walter Johnson High School in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Arsenal scout Daniel Karbassiyoon discovered Zelalem in the United States playing for Olney Rangers during a Dallas Cup match. After contacting his coaches, Zelalem was flown to London for summer training with the Arsenal youth academy; following the end of this camp, he was offered a permanent place in the Academy. Zelalem started out playing in Arsenal's under-16s squad, before graduating into the under-21s in April 2013. His debut for the under-21 side came against Liverpool U21 that month, but was unable to prevent Arsenal slipping to a 3–2 defeat at Anfield; however, he drew praise for his performance. He made his second appearance for the side less than a week later in a 3–2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers U21, once again drawing praise for his performance.
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