Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee was born on May 22, 2001, in Schiedam, Netherlands, to a Dutch father and a Nigerian mother. He started his football from the tender age of five years with VV Hekelingen in Spijkenisse.
The early days of his life were filled with a passion for the game, playing with his cousin Nelson Amadin at Spartaan '20 before joining ADO Den Haag in 2013. In 2016, the pivotal move to Feyenoord's youth academy set the stage for his rise.
It was during this period, in 2017, that Zirkzee made a real career-defining move when he left Feyenoord to join Bayern Munich's youth setup. He went up through the ranks pretty quickly, impressing in the U17s and U19s before making his way into the second team.
CAPTION: "A star in the making: Zirkzee’s pivotal role in Bayern’s treble-winning journey. SOURCE: Pinterest His 2019 first-team debut against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League was little short of spectacular, with his Bundesliga debut against Freiburg marking the winning goal with his first touch feat he repeated a week later against Wolfsburg.
The first season of Zirkzee in Bayern Munich was highly successful; he contributed to the historic continental treble of the team under the guidance of Hansi Flick. He scored four important goals in nine Bundesliga appearances and played key roles in the DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League. His presence was extended to Bayern's second team as they secured a third-division league title.
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Even as talented as he was, Zirkzee suffered setbacks, including an LCL injury while on loan at Parma in January 2021. But he bounced back in emphatic style with a loan move to Anderlecht for the 2021-22 season, finishing as the club's top scorer with 16 goals and nine assists.
CAPTION: Turning challenges into triumphs – Zirkzee’s path to Bologna proves persistence pays off. SOURCE: Pinterest He was signed permanently by Serie A club Bologna in August 2022 on the back of this performance. This season at Bologna, he again shone with a haul of 11 goals and five assists, helping the club get a berth in the Champions League group stage.
On July 14, 2024, a new chapter was opened for Zirkzee, who signed a five-year contract with the Red Devils of Manchester United for a sum of £36.5 million. Making a substitute appearance against Fulham, he scored the only goal in the match, before starting his first match against Liverpool to seal his place in the lineup.
Zirkzee is an all-round versatile striker with his physical attributes, standing 6'4" tall, strong, pacy, and dominating in the air. He is excellent at playing with his back to the goal and always has his eyes on the goal.
CAPTION: Joshua Zirkzee: The perfect blend of skill, strength, and smarts on the pitch. SOURCE: Pinterest His style is much related to that of Dutch legend Pierre van Hooijdonk, which makes him a nightmare to deal with for any backline.
On the international level, Zirkzee's stock has been on the rise; he played for the Netherlands in each of the youth levels. He made his first senior cap for the country on July 6, 2024, in a 2-1 win over Turkey in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, having been called up by head coach Ronald Koeman because several other players were injured.
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