Cora Zicai

Cora Zicai
Personal information
Full name Cora Nevena Zicai[1]
Date of birth (2004-11-29) 29 November 2004
Place of birth Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 SC Freiburg
Number 28
Youth career
–2017 Sportfreunde Eintracht Freiburg
2017–2021 SC Freiburg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 SC Freiburg II 1 (0)
2021– SC Freiburg 66 (11)
International career‡
2017–2019 Germany U15 7 (1)
2019–2020 Germany U16 5 (2)
2021–2023 Germany U19 10 (5)
2021–2024 Germany U20 17 (5)
2024– Germany 4 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:00, 15 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:48, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

Cora Nevena Zicai (born 29 November 2004) is a German footballer who plays as a forward for Frauen-Bundesliga club SC Freiburg and the Germany national team.[2][3][4] In the summer of 2025, she is to join VfL Wolfsburg on a three-year contract.[5]

Club career

Zicai began playing football at Sportfreunde Eintracht Freiburg before moving to SC Freiburg in 2017.[6] Aged 16, she made her Bundesliga debut in March 2021, playing against Bayern Munich in a 1–5 loss. Zicai scored her maiden Bundesliga goal a week after, striking a precise finish from the edge of the box to extend Freiburg's lead in a 2–1 victory versus Duisburg.[7] This made her Freiburg's youngest Bundesliga goalscorer.[8] She continued progressing during the 2021–22 season, making her first league start against Hoffenheim and playing a total of 12 games.[9] Zicai was also awarded the bronze edition of the Fritz Walter Medal in November 2022 to honour her 2021 performances.[10]

Zicai had a productive first half of 2022–23, scoring in wins against SGS Essen and Turbine Potsdam, as well as notching up three assists.[11] The second half of her season was affected by groin problems, though she managed to assist the winning goal in the DFB-Pokal semi-final versus RB Leipzig.[12] Zicai then became a regular starter in 2023–24, took part in all 22 league matches, and scored thrice as Freiburg finished ninth.[13]

She became Freiburg's most impactful offensive player in 2024–25, scoring eight goals and assisting four to help the team towards a fifth place finish.[14] This included a strong start to her campaign, as Zicai scored off the bench in a 2–0 win over Köln, notched two goals against Potsdam (3–0), and helped Freiburg towards a 4–1 win against Leipzig with a goal and an assist.[15][16][17] Additionally, Zicai initiated the first goal versus Bayern, before scoring the second one herself in a 2–2 draw.[18] She then scored a long-range goal versus Bayern in the DFB-Pokal, a match Freiburg lost 1–2.[19] In recognition of her performances, Zicai was named Freiburg's sportswoman of 2024.[20] Zicai continued contributing in the season's second half. Among these contributions were two assists versus Jena, her 1–0 winner in Potsdam, and a spectacular long-distance strike against Frankfurt which Freiburg surprisingly beat 3–2.[21][22][23]

Ahead of the 2025–26 season, Zicai moved to VfL Wolfsburg on a free transfer, signing a contract until 2028.[24]

International career

Youth

Zicai represented Germany at the youth level at the 2022 and 2024 U-20 World Cups.[25] The team exited in the group stage during the former, but reached the quarter finals in the latter, with Zicai contributing three goals and assists each.[26] She scored five goals for the U-19 team, but missed out on the 2022 U-19 Euros and had to withdraw from the 2023 U-19 Euros on short notice.[27]

Senior

Zicai was called up to the senior national team by national coach Christian Wück in November 2024.[28] She scored her first international goal on her debut in the 6–0 friendly win against Switzerland on 29 November 2024, her 20th birthday.[29] She then scored her next goal as a substitute in a 2025 Nations League win over Scotland.[30] Subsequently, Zicai was included in the Germany squad for the 2025 Euros in Switzerland.[31][32]

Personal life

Zicai's mother comes from Bulgaria and previously participated in pentathlon competition.[33] During her successful 2024-25 season, Freiburg teammates Alina Axtmann and Tessa Blumenberg nicknamed Zicai "Tooora Zicai", in reference to the German word for Goal, Tor.[34]

Career statistics

International

As of 8 July 2025[35]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Germany 2024 2 1
2025 2 1
Total 4 2
Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zicai goal.
List of international goals scored by Cora Zicai
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 29 November 2024 Zurich, Switzerland  Switzerland 5–0 6–0 Friendly
2 4 April 2025 Dundee, Scotland  Scotland 3–0 4–0 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ Cora Zicai at Soccerway
  2. ^ Böhme, Dirk (5 November 2024). "Sport-Club verlängert mit Cora Zicai". Region im Blick. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  3. ^ Zeitung, Badische (26 April 2024). ""Was das Technische angeht, sind wir echt weit"". Badische Zeitung. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Sport-Club verlängert mit Cora Zicai | SC Freiburg". scfreiburg.com. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Cora Zicai to join VfL Women". vfl-wolfsburg.de. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Sport-Club verlängert mit Cora Zicai | SC Freiburg". www.scfreiburg.com (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Bundesliga-Frauen des SC Freiburg mit Arbeitssieg beim MSV Duisburg". www.baden.fm (in German). 15 March 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Frauen Frauen-Bundesliga - Die jüngsten Torschützen". sport.de (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Cora Zicai :: Completed Matches 1. Frauen-Bundesliga 2021/2022 :: playmakerstats.com". www.playmakerstats.com. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Drei SC-Spielerinnen und -Spieler ausgezeichnet | SC Freiburg". www.scfreiburg.com (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  11. ^ "2022-2023 Cora Zical Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  12. ^ "DFB-Pokal: Leipzigs Fußballerinnen verpassen Pokalfinale – und dürfen dennoch feiern". Der Spiegel (in German). 16 April 2023. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  13. ^ "2023-2024 Cora Zical Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Frauen Bundesliga 2024/2025 - Scorerliste". weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Freiburg gewinnt auch zweites Auswärtsspiel". www.dfb.de (in German). 28 September 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Bundesliga: Wieder kein Tor: Turbine Potsdam verliert auch in Freiburg". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). 5 October 2024. ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  17. ^ sportschau.de. "Fußball | Bundesliga (F): RB Leipzig scheitert in Freiburg". sportschau.de (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  18. ^ Frauen-Bundesliga: Bayern erkämpft sich einen Punkt in Freiburg (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025 – via www.zdf.de.
  19. ^ Sport, S. W. R. (24 November 2024). "Freiburgerinnen unterliegen dem FC Bayern München unglücklich im Achtelfinale". SWR Sport (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Cora Zicai ist Sportlerin des Jahres 2024 | SC Freiburg". www.scfreiburg.com (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  21. ^ "SC Freiburg jubelt im Nachholspiel in Jena". www.dfb.de (in German). 5 March 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  22. ^ Sport, S. W. R. (8 March 2025). "Cora Zicai erlöst den SC Freiburg beim Schlusslicht Potsdam". SWR Sport (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  23. ^ sportschau.de. "Frauen-Bundesliga: Last-Minute-Wahnsinn - Freiburg besiegt Frankfurt in der Nachspielzeit". sportschau.de (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Wolfsburg verpflichtet Nationalspielerin Zicai aus Freiburg". kicker.de. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  25. ^ "Quality and maturity: Germany's Cora Zicai in focus". FIFA. 5 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Cora Zicai :: Completed Matches Mundial Feminino Sub-20 2024 :: playmakerstats.com". www.playmakerstats.com. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  27. ^ "Minge-Debüttor bei WM-Vorbereitung | SC Freiburg". www.scfreiburg.com (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  28. ^ "Wück calls up Zicai and Şehitler for the first time". dfb.de. DFB. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  29. ^ "Women's friendly, 2024/2025, Season". DFB. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  30. ^ "Germany Women win 4-0 in Scotland". www.dfb.de (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  31. ^ sportschau.de. "Christian Wück nominiert Kader der DFB-Frauen für die Fußball-EM". sportschau.de (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  32. ^ Sport, S. W. R. (12 June 2025). "Freiburgerin Cora Zicai fährt zur EM". SWR Sport (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  33. ^ "Cora Zicai im 90min-Gespräch: 'Ich will eine große Spielerin werden'". 90min.de (in German). 12 December 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  34. ^ "DFB-Frauen: Cora Zicai - Freiburgs Toptalent verblüfft". ZDFheute (in German). 2 December 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  35. ^ "Cora Zicai". dfb.de. 30 November 2024.
  36. ^ "Karim Adeyemi gewinnt erneut Fritz-Walter-Medaille in Gold". bfv.de (in German). Bayerischer Fussball-Verband. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
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