Recently, during an interview with John Obi Mikel, a former player for Chelsea, the subject of pets was brought up. More specifically, the interviewer enquired as to whether he has a preference for cats or dogs.
“Dogs? ” Cats, on the other hand, do not cause me any problems. Kurt Zouma is not who I am,” Mourinho said with a chuckle.
During the light-hearted remark, a reference was made to a distressing video that was shared on social media in the year 2022. In the video, Zouma was seen kicking his pet cat, throwing shoes at it, and even slapping its head.
This horrifying act was shared on Snapchat by his brother Yoan, which resulted in a significant amount of outrage.
Following the completion of an investigation, Zouma came forward and admitted to breaking the Animal Welfare Act. As a result, he was subject to legal consequences in the month of May 2022.
He was ordered to perform 180 hours of community service and was prohibited from owning cats for a period of five years by the court.
In addition to facing legal consequences, Zouma was subjected to a hefty fine from West Ham United equal to two weeks’ worth of wages. This was the maximum penalty that the club could impose on Zouma.
As a result of the fallout, he was unable to secure a sponsorship deal with Adidas, and the Roman Catholic Church took custody of his two cats.
During that time, Zouma expressed his regret by saying, “I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video.” I would like to reassure everyone that both of our cats are doing well and are in an excellent state of health.
Due to the fact that they are loved and cherished by every member of our family, this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not occur again.
The following is an excerpt from a statement released by West Ham United: “West Ham United unequivocally condemns the actions of our player, Kurt Zouma, in the video that has went viral.”
“We have spoken to Kurt and will be dealing with the matter internally, but we would like to make it clear that we in no way condone cruelty towards animals.”
“Both of you took part in this disgraceful and reprehensible act with this pet cat,” District Judge Susan Holdham said during the hearing, expressing her disapproval of the behaviour. You were relied upon by the cat to provide for its requirements.
With regard to that particular date in February, you failed to meet its requirements. It is imperative that you are conscious of the fact that many young people look up to you and aspire to learn from your example.
Mourinho, who brought Zouma to Chelsea from Saint-Etienne in 2014, has had his fair share of encounters with the defender that have caused him to raise his eyebrows.
Once upon a time, Zouma related a particularly confrontational conversation that left an indelible mark on her.
According to what Zouma said to RMC Sport, “I cannot remember which match we were playing; we were losing 3-1 despite being away from home.”
“Mourinho comes to see me the next day, takes me to his office, and enquires about my well-being. He is concerned about my well-being. He asked me if I was certain after I responded with a yes. I said yes again, and he replied, ‘Because you were rubbish this weekend.’
“Like that, direct. It shocked me, but it made me want to immediately respond on the pitch. I remember that it hurt me and that it affected me. But I really wanted to show him that I could react.”
The goal that Mourinho has now set for himself is to lead Fenerbahce into the round of sixteen of the Europa League. He is hoping to achieve this by achieving victory over Anderlecht on Thursday in Belgium.
