Why is Gianfranco Zola part of Europe's Ryder Cup team?

Gianfranco Zola (Image credit: PA)

The Ryder Cup 2025 gets under in New York on Friday – and there's a face familiar to many Premier League fans.

Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has been spotted during the practice rounds and somehow has made it into Europe's official team photo.

The question is… how did the diminutive Italian find himself as part of Ryder Cup preparations?

Gianfranco Zola has a role at the 2025 Ryder Cup

Former footballer Gianfranco Zola looks on prior to the Ryder Cup 2025 at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 23, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. — Gianfranco Zola looks on (Image credit: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Plenty of footballers are into their golf: famously, Gareth Bale was said to value the game above Real Madrid, while Harry Kane and Pep Guardiola are fans of the sport – and Jimmy Bullard said to be seriously good at it.

Yet somehow, Zola – ranked at no.51 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Premier League players of all time – has beaten them all to Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid, 2019 — Gareth Bale loves his golf (Image credit: Alamy)

The 59-year-old actually has a role to play for Europe, as vice-captain Francesco Molinari's designated buggy driver.

Zola's played in a number of pro-am events on the DP World Tour, even representing Team World at the inaugural Reignwood Icons of Football tournament.

Molinari, meanwhile, is golf's first Italian major champion: he originally struck up a close friendship with the former Blue when he moved to London in 2009, and Zola was managing West Ham United.

One man who was in for a nice surprise was Europe's Justin Rose, who supports Chelsea.

“I didn't know he was coming this week, he was one of the first people I bumped into," Rose gushed. "I was star-struck, which is amazing."

Zola is one of the greatest players ever to have never won the Champions League – let's see if he lifts a major European title yet.

TOPICS

Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.