Zidane's son sheds his father's cloak: I want to write my own story in my name | Goal.com

Published on 16 Oct 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

Elyaz Zidane, the youngest son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, wants to carve out his own path on the pitch, away from the constant comparisons with his father. He is determined to build his own career, whatever pressures come with carrying the name of one of the greatest players the game has seen.

Speaking to "Le Parisien", Elyaz revealed he prefers to use his first name on his shirt rather than the family name. "At Real Betis, my name 'Elyaz' was printed on my shirt. I wanted to keep that tradition, with no intention of hiding behind my real name," he explained.

"Football has always been an integral part of our family, and since I grew up in this world from a young age, it was natural that I would want to follow in my father's footsteps, but I want to write my own story," he added.

Being the son of a legend brings benefits. It also brings the harder stuff: the endless comparisons, the extra scrutiny of every performance. "When you are young, the most important thing is being able to develop without being under constant observation, and that was a little difficult," he said.

Pride in his father runs through everything he says. Zinedine has given him plenty of advice and has always been keen to support him, fame and family name notwithstanding.

Now 20, Elyaz is starting a new chapter after joining Red Star Belgrade. He is delighted to be playing for a storied club with a huge following, and sees the move as the right step towards his ambitions.

His formative years in Spain shaped his footballing background, but he also wanted to pick up the French mentality. He has no intention of piling additional pressure on himself, preferring to focus on what he produces on the pitch.

The immediate goal is simple enough: give the best of himself at Red Star, keep developing, help the team win. Everything else in his future stays open to whatever the coming days reveal.

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