Distel Zola

Early career

Zola began his football career at the age of five at a local football academy in his hometown of Champigny-sur-Marne, a local southeastern Parisian suburb. After spending eight years at the club, he moved to US Alfortville. After a two-year stint in Alfortville, Zola drew interest from professional clubs Paris Saint-Germain, Auxerre, and Monaco. Zola ultimately signed with Monaco describing the club as the "most convincing" of the three.

Monaco

Zola spent one season in Monaco's youth academy, and, in the 2005–06 season, appeared in two matches on the club's Championnat de France amateur team in the fourth division. The following season, he was promoted to the amateur team full-time making 15 appearances. Zola spent two more seasons playing on the amateur team and, prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, turned professional and was, subsequently, promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 29 shirt by manager Ricardo Gomes. Zola appeared on the bench for the club's first five league matches and continued to play on the club's amateur team in the fifth division. On 25 September 2008, while playing with the amateur team, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which required five months of rehabilitation. He returned to play in February 2009, but did not make any senior team appearances. Zola later suffered an injury setback to his knee and endured significant rehabilitation for much of the 2009–10 season. On 10…

After playing for the French youth teams, Zola chose to play for the DR Congo in 2010.

Zola was born in 1989 in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, of Zairean parents born in the Belgian Congo. He acquired French nationality on 24 June 2002, through the collective effect of his mother's naturalization.