Elyaz Zidane establishes himself at Red Star under watchful eye of his father, France coach

Elyaz Zidane has made an immediate impact at Red Star since arriving in Ligue 2 in summer 2024, establishing himself as a key player for the team facing league leaders Saint-Étienne in the 9th round on Saturday evening at Bauer.

Zinédine Zidane’s youngest son left Real Betis, where he was confined to the reserve team, to join the Seine-Saint-Denis club. A left-footed central defender standing 1.96 m tall, aged 20 and trained at Real Madrid, he scored in his first match against Nantes on 8 August and has delivered convincing performances since.

In his first interview with a media outlet, Elyaz reflects on what it means to be the son of a football legend. “There are positive aspects but also more complex ones, notably the constant comparisons and being judged more harshly than others. When you’re young, the essential thing is to be able to develop without constantly having the spotlight on you, and that’s what has been a bit difficult,” he explains.

Despite his new responsibilities leading the France team, Zinédine Zidane closely follows his son’s progress. “His feedback focuses more on tactical aspects, areas for improvement and the constant search for progression,” Elyaz reports, also highlighting advice received on the lifestyle of a top-level athlete: diet, recovery, behaviour off the pitch. “He has always been there to support me,” he concludes.

Elyaz has also represented France’s youth teams, from U17 to U20. He is the third Zidane son still active in football: Théo, 24, plays as a midfielder for Córdoba in Liga 2, while Luca, 28, is the starting goalkeeper for Leganés in Spanish second division and number one for Algeria’s national team. The eldest, Enzo, retired from football.