Gary Lineker has fired a cat-themed dig at West Ham star Kurt Zouma with an odd social media post.
The Match of the Day presenter took to Twitter to reply to a post from the London outfit. They had shared pictures of Zouma in training ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown with Aston Villa. Alongside the post, a caption read: “Our captain, @KurtZouma,” to which Lineker replied: “Just realised that captain is an anagram of cat pain.”
Lineker’s post refers to the incident that saw Zouma kicking a cat in a Snapchat video posted by the defender’s brother Yoan in February 2022.
Kurt Zouma arrives at Thames Magistrates' Court in 2022 (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Where will West Ham finish in the Premier League this season? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Zouma subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, under the Animal Welfare Act, and was handed 180 hours of community service at Thames Magistrates Court. He was banned from keeping or caring for cats for five years and told to pay court costs of nearly £9,000.
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West Ham also fined the defender, donating the fee to animal welfare charities both in the UK and abroad. Speaking at the time, Zouma said: “It’s been a difficult spell for me and my family. Obviously, I have done something very bad and I apologise again for what I’ve done. I know it was very tough for people to watch and to see that and obviously, I feel very, very sorry.
“I have great remorse about it and now I’m trying to move on with my family and looking ahead. I learned from it, that’s the most important thing, I would say. Obviously, I had support from many, many people around me who helped me stay focused on football and I try to stay happy.
“The club has been unbelievable with me, the support that I received from my teammates, from the staff, and everyone at the club, and even from the fans, has been unreal, and they helped me stay focused on the game, to try to do my best on the pitch all the time and, obviously, I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done. This club is like my family.”
Zouma, now 28, started his career in France with St Etienne before a move to Chelsea. He made 151 appearances for the Blues, winning two Premier League titles.
The Frenchman also had loan spells with Stoke and Everton ahead of a £29m move to West Ham in the summer of 2021. He has made 71 appearances for the club since and helped the Hammers to end their long wait for a trophy as they lifted the Europa Conference League last term.
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