Elyaz Zidane discusses the difficulty of being ‘constantly compared’ to father Zinédine Zidane

A player for Red Star, currently in Ligue 2, since this summer, Elyaz Zidane (20) has enjoyed a successful start to the season with the Audoniens. Having started every one of the first seven league matches, the Marseille-born player has quickly established himself in the defence of the side currently second in the table.

And on the eve of a crunch match against league leaders AS Saint-Étienne, the son of France’s new manager Zinédine Zidane explained, in an interview with Le Parisien, how his father – a football legend – supports him in his own career. He also spoke of the difficulties he faces as the “son of”.

“His feedback focuses more on the tactical side, on areas for improvement and on the constant quest for progress,” explains the 20-year-old player. Whilst, in his view, there are “positive aspects” to being the son of a player like Zidane, certain aspects remain “more complex, particularly the constant comparisons and the fact that I’m judged more harshly than others.”

“When you’re young, the most important thing is to be able to develop without constantly having the spotlight on you, and that’s what proved a bit difficult,” he recalls. That doesn’t stop Zidane from focusing on the positives, however. “On the other hand, I’m extremely proud of my father, who gave me a lot of advice. Thanks to his illustrious career, he guided me not only in sporting matters but also on the lifestyle of a top-level athlete – such as diet, recovery and behaviour off the pitch. He’s always been there to support me.”

GFFN | Léo Aschi