Aaron Wan-Bissaka
A Premier League right-back whose signature tackling technique earned him the nickname 'The Spider' for his long, precise legs.
Born 1997 (age 29)·DR Congolese footballer·Birthday: November 26·Generation Z
Biography
Aaron Wan-Bissaka's path to professional football was unconventional; he was a winger in Crystal Palace's academy before a coach, spotting his defensive instincts in a training session shortage, tried him at right-back. The switch was a revelation. His game is built on an almost preternatural ability to execute clean, last-ditch tackles, a skill honed from his days as a street footballer in Croydon. His breakthrough season at Palace was so dominant that Manchester United secured his services for a substantial fee in 2019. At United, he became a defensive bulwark, though his attacking contributions were often critiqued. His career took a new turn in 2024 with a transfer to West Ham United, and he committed to representing the DR Congo national team, connecting with his familial heritage on the international stage.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Aaron was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the UEFA Europa League with Manchester United in the 2022-23 season.
- Named Crystal Palace Player of the Year for the 2018-19 season.
- Earned a high-profile transfer from Crystal Palace to Manchester United in 2019.
- Made his senior international debut for the DR Congo national team in 2024.
Did You Know?
He was originally an academy winger before being converted to a right-back.
His nickname 'The Spider' comes from his long-legged tackling style.
He did not receive a professional contract at Crystal Palace until he was 18.
He made his Premier League debut against Tottenham Hotspur in February 2018.
“My job is to stop your job, and I take that personally.”
