the secrets of a great football family

The Zidanes use social networks like family albums: heavenly trips, family dinners and, at Christmas, a photo of the clan gathered at Disneyland Paris, including the companions of the three adult sons. So much for feeding the never satisfied curiosity of the public. As for the future of the 49-year-old technician, no clues but a lot of speculation. There are the few who tell themselves in secret. And the others who consider marriage inevitable: Zinédine Zidane, PSG coach, it would only be a matter of time.

Before the knockout stages of the Champions League? Very unlikely. « We never contacted Zidane, » repeated Parisian sporting director Leonardo last month on Europe 1. At the end of the season, to launch the next one, who will see Qatar host the World Cup? More possible, but it’s still a long way off… This tournament, for which the 1998 world champion promoted the candidacy twelve years ago, is also a beacon in the fog: Didier Deschamps will reach the end of his contract with the French team. ; his succession is promised to him one day; there is no guarantee that the coach will stop there.

The only stadiums he travels to are those where his sons play

By this deadline, will « Zizou » seize the opportunity to train the second club of his coaching career, hitherto 100% Madrid? It’s not an obsession. The interested party said nothing that could feed the Parisian rumor. On the contrary, his rare declarations were of love for the Marseille rival. He didn’t say anything, either, when his appointment to Manchester United was touted as imminent in November; England does not attract him more than that.

Read also – « I almost didn’t play this match »: what we didn’t yet know about Zidane

As in his previous sabbatical year, in 2018-2019, the only stadiums he travels to are those where his sons play. To his friends, he speaks less of football than of padel, where he excels and maintains an irreproachable figure. The inauguration in the spring of a Z5 padel will complete its empire of 27 Five complexes in France and Italy. Active or not, his name is everywhere. In professional football, with his two eldest, to the Real Madrid training center where the two youngest grow up.

Four sons, four different destinies

Enzo did not inherit

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Described as a « very good player » by Karim Benzema from the Clairefontaine platform, from 2014, Enzo has always had a very heavy name to bear. Moreover, he preferred that of his mother, Fernández, to flock his first jerseys, before sticking to his first name. In the France U19 team (under 19), he participated in an internship, without playing. Eight years later, the one whom the Spaniards baptized too soon el Heredero, the heir, evolves in Rodez in Ligue 2.

The city of his maternal grandparents, where his father invested. His sixth club since Real Madrid released him in 2017. A « natural » base for him. But sportingly, no rebound (yet): two tenures in thirteen appearances. Too slow in execution. The eldest of the siblings will soon be 27 years old and hopes of finding a place in the elite are dwindling. His only goal scored with Real, one evening in 2016 in the King’s Cup, will remain a peak and not the starting point that his genes let hope for.

Luca dreams of OM

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« Agile and fast », thus summarizes Luca Zidane, forced to put on the gloves by his older brother when they were having fun at home. « I had nothing to say, » he said. These days, the 23-year-old goalkeeper is watching the transfer market closely. Not that he wants to leave Rayo Vallecano, surprise of the season in La Liga (7th), but because his competitor, the Macedonian Stole Dimitrievski, is announced as a starter. A chance to seize while the Franco-Spanish has just chained two tenures.

In the league, he had only played the first day and received a red card after only sixteen minutes. From then on, his trainer, Andoni Iraola, only fielded him in the King’s Cup; the penalty he saved yesterday qualified Rayo. The La Liga hero’s future remains uncertain as his contract expires on June 30. Asked by Onda Cero radio in April, Luca had mentioned a return to Real Madrid, who trained him, or a departure for Marseille, his hometown. In 2019, he was offered in Bordeaux.

Théo hopes to convince Raúl

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During his first spell at Real Madrid (2013-2015), Carlo Ancelotti made ZZ his assistant, then encouraged him to learn his trade at the head of the reserve team. The Italian had not skipped the steps with the father, he does not do otherwise with the son: Theo, 19, has not yet participated in training this season, although he has shared more than one session with Karim Benzema and his teammates last year.

At the lower level (Castilla), Raúl does not rush more: the former captain of the Galacticos gave him twelve minutes during the mini-Clásico in October, coming off the bench as often. It is only the first year at this level for Théo, winner of the Youth League in 2020. The echoes of Spain make him one of the hopes of Florentino Pérez, he seems enthusiastic for this generation. « He plays fair but must force his character to become a technical leader, notes Lionel Rouxel, head of men’s selections at the French Federation (FFF) and coach of the U18s. With his late maturity, he can arrive between 19 and 23 years old. him, it’s the beginning of the adventure. »

Elyaz « must plump up »

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The youngest celebrated his sixteenth birthday during the holidays, exactly two months after his first selection for the France U16 team and a goal that forged a link with the father’s first match in Blue in 1994, double scorer off the bench by Aimé Jacquet against the Czech Republic. His defensive role, left or center, should spare him the unbearable comparison. « He has the size [1,95 mètre], but above all the timing and a good finesse of foot », enumerates Lionel Rouxel, for whom Elyaz « must fill up ».

Being the child of a recognized footballer is not a singularity in José Alcocer’s group, which also includes the descendants of Pascal Olmeta and that of the former Ivorian international Kanga Akalé. They are aiming for qualification for Euro 2022 in Israel. At Real Madrid, Elyaz Fernández has known all categories of young people since he was 7 years old. This season, the Juvenil C team has lost only one game out of thirteen in its regional championship.