Stoke City Cult-Hero Scores Upon His Return To The Club

Stoke City Cult-Hero Scores Upon His Return To The Club

The Bet365 stadium is iconic in football folklore. How many times have you seen the quote “but could he do it on a rainy night in Stoke” doing the rounds on social media?

And it has also seen its fair share of surreal moments.

In Europe, there were huge wins at home against Besiktas and Maccabi Tel-Aviv, a notable 1-0 victory against Manchester City in the 2008/09 season, and who can forget the wins against Brighton and West Ham on their way to their first-ever FA Cup final?

But very few people could have predicted Steven N’Zonzi gliding through players in the famous red and white striped kit and scoring a goal for Stoke City in 2025.

In all fairness, N’Zoni’s first goal back at the Potters would not be at home. In a 3-0 away win against Oxford United, the French midfielder would score the second goal of the night after Lewis Baker’s corner found him in the box.

A DECADE ON! 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/itsM1j9H1d

— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) November 4, 2025

The last time N’Zonzi found the net for Stoke was in a 6-1 thrashing of Liverpool, which would be Steven Gerrard’s last game for the Reds

Speaking on his return to Stoke, the 2018 World Cup winner said, “One of the reasons I'm back in Stoke is that I always had a good relationship with the Club and the fans were great with me.

“I will, of course, be a different player to ten years ago, but I know I have lots to give to the team.”

During his last period at Stoke, N’Zonzi played 120 times and scored seven goals. During his three years at the Potters, he helped them finish 13th and 9th twice.

3⃣,8⃣1⃣4⃣

That's how many days separated Steven Nzonzi's previous two goals for @stokecity 📅

He becomes the only World Cup winner to score in the @SkyBetChamp 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cekXbfYTct

— Sky Bet (@SkyBet) November 5, 2025

And the person who ignited the deal to bring the cult hero back home? Former teammate and current director of football, Jonathan Walters.

Walters said: "To have the opportunity to bring in a player of such talent and experience, a World Cup and Europa League winner as well as a Potters legend, is a huge boost for everyone at the club.

"Steven's story with Stoke City is yet to be finished and there'll be thousands of passionate Potters thrilled to welcome him back."

On This Day in 2011, we ended Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season as Jonathan Walters this goal 👏 #SCFC pic.twitter.com/U6rCXaIuvm

— GoOnStoke (@GoOnStoke_com) September 10, 2025

And of course, it is not just management that is happy to have the cult hero back. I spoke to Mike on Reddit, who said, “Not just his return and his goal, but everything about the club feels like the best of us from 10 years ago.

“A team working for each other with great team spirit, likeable players, fantastic blend of talent, and work ethic, good football.

“The last time we had all that, N’Zonzi was in the middle of it. He's not the cause, Mark Robins is, but it feels very much like we might be in those times again, and he epitomises it.”

As it stands, Stoke City are currently second in the Championship after 14 matches. If results keep going the same way, we may see a familiar face back in the Premier League after eight years away.

And there is something beautiful about this Stoke reassergance. Not once have they looked poised for a comeback, finishing between 14th and 18th in all seven of their seasons in the second tier.

But as soon as a ‘blast from the past’ comes back, Stoke look better than ever.

21 goals, the fourth best in the league, and just nine goals conceded, the best record anywhere. Turns out mixing romance with competence is quite effective.

And whilst N’Zonzi is not the player he was a decade ago, he still has his strengths. Standing at 197cm—or 6ft 4—the French defensive midfielder still towers over players with ease and is the 98th percentile for ariel duels won.

For blocked shots and interceptions, N’Zonzi is still at the top of his game, sitting in the 83rd and 96th percentiles, respectively, which isn’t bad for a man old enough to have played under Tony Pulis.

N’Zonzi will not be at Stoke for long. He turns 37 in December, and his legs are slowly giving out on him.

His legs might not last 90 minutes, and his passing might occasionally drift toward nostalgia rather than precision. But over the next few months, Stoke fans will get to see something they hadn’t in a while, a man who once tamed the Premier League’s chaos and has now come back to where it all started, just to remind them he still can.

Steven Nzonzi has his first Stoke City goal since his return... TEN years on from his last! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/7FcjI6En8f

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) November 4, 2025