Joe Cole is a former English footballer with a notable career spanning clubs like West Ham, Chelsea, and Liverpool. He also represented England in multiple World Cups.
Joseph Rooks, known professionally as Joe Cole, was born on November 8, 1981, in Paddington, London. At the age of six, his family relocated to Somers Town. His early education included St. Mary's Bryanston Square primary school, Haverstock School in London, and St. Aloysius College in Highgate. Cole’s football journey commenced within the youth ranks of West Ham United, where he turned professional in November 1998. His senior debut arrived in the FA Cup in January 1999, at just 17 years old. A mere eight days afterward, he made his Premier League debut for the club. In 1999, West Ham secured both the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. By 2003, Cole earned the Hammer of the Year Award and, in August of that year, transferred to Chelsea for £6.6 million. During the 2004–05 season, Chelsea claimed the Premier League title, with Cole contributing 10 goals. In the following season, he became a regular starter, signed a four-year contract extension, and was named to the PFA Team of the Year. Late in 2006, a stress fracture in his foot necessitated surgery, forcing him to miss parts of the 2006–07 campaign. In 2008, he participated in the UEFA Champions League Final and was honored as Chelsea Player of the Year. However, knee surgery in 2008–09 sidelined him, preventing him from joining pre-season training in 2009–10. He returned to action in a September 2009 League Cup match. On November 8, 2009, coinciding with his 28th birthday, Cole played his 250th game for Chelsea. The club triumphed in the 2010 FA Cup Final, and his contract expired in June 2010, making him a free agent. In July 2010, Cole joined Liverpool on a four-year contract. He was sent on a season-long loan to French side Lille in August 2011, where manager Rudi Garcia showed interest in retaining him, but Cole returned to Liverpool. He departed Liverpool in January 2013 before his contract concluded and rejoined West Ham on an 18-month agreement. A hamstring injury in September 2013 kept him off the pitch for six weeks. In June 2014, he signed a two-year deal with Aston Villa, followed by a 35-day emergency loan to Coventry City in October 2015. The loan was later extended until early 2016, after which he signed a deal covering the remainder of the season. In May 2016, Cole moved to the North American Soccer League’s Tampa Bay Rowdies, agreeing to terms through the end of the 2017 NASL season. That same month, he received the league’s Player of the Week accolade after a victory over Minnesota United. In October, he earned a nomination for the NASL Golden Ball award. By June 2018, Cole had transitioned into the role of assistant coach for the Rowdies and officially retired from playing in November of that year. He subsequently took up coaching duties with Chelsea. Cole also represented England at the international level, beginning with the U16 squad in 1997 and appearing in the World Cups of 2002, 2006, and 2010. Cole began a relationship with fitness instructor Carly Zucker in 2002 and became engaged to her in 2007. They wed on June 20, 2009, and are parents to daughter Ruby, born in 2010, and son Harrison, born in 2012. In 2009, Cole received a suspended driving ban and a £750 fine after being caught traveling at 105 mph in a 70 mph zone on a divided highway in Surrey. Among his career accolades, Cole was named West Ham United Hammer of the Year for the 2002–03 season, Premier League Player of the Month in March 2005, featured in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2005–06 Premier League season, and was voted Chelsea Player of the Year in 2008. He received a Ballon d’Or nomination in 2006 and was selected for the North American Soccer League Best XI in 2016. In 2021, Cole listed his Merseyside mansion for sale at £2.25 million. The property includes five bedrooms, five bathrooms, an open-plan kitchen, and a heated swimming pool. © 2026 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved