Enzo Zidane celebrates the arrival of his first child as Zinedine makes his debut as a grandparent
One of football’s most iconic figures, Zinedine Zidane has a new team member to enjoy, as he recently became a Grandfather for the first time. The 49-year-old former France international, welcomed his granddaughter Sia into the world in early June 2022.
Sia is the child of Enzo Zidane, who posted a picture of his parents Zinedine and Veronique on Instagram with his new daughter to celebrate the big news.
The new arrival has capped a fantastic summer for the Zidane household, who would have been celebrating from the sidelines as Real Madrid collected another UEFA Champions League title.
Along with Enzo, Zinedine Zidane has three other sons, Luca, Theo and Elyaz.
Enzo Zidane’s playing career
Born in France, the professional career of 27-year-old Enzo Zidane has never reached the heights of his father. The opportunities have been there for Enzo, however. His playing career started at the top of the youth level. He was first signed on by Real Madrid U17 in 2004.
Enzo started making his way up the youth ranks at Real Madrid. His first real breakthrough was made when he was promoted to play for Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s B-team. From there it was a springboard to the first team where he scored on his debut.
That senior debut was handed to him by his father in the Copa del Rey. But it turned out to be the only appearance that Enzo Zidane would make for Real Madrid’s first team. He was moved on to Alaves where he would play just two fixtures for the club. That short spell did at least include a La Liga debut.
From there Enzo joined Lausanne in Switzerland before going back to Spain, joining second-tier club Rayo Majadahonda on a year’s loan. A short stay in Portugal then saw him make yet another return to the Spanish second tier, this time with UD Almeria.
Unable to secure longer term contracts, Enzo Zidane then took on a move to France with Rodez. Enzo’s short contract with the Ligue 2 side ended in summer 2022 with no immediate destination in place.
Enzo Zidane’s new arrival puts focus on the family
Understandably the playing career of Enzo Zidane has fallen under the shadow of his father’s, who spent many years at the top level of the game. But the recent arrival in the family has put a focus on the Zidane family.
Football runs deep in the Zidane family. Each of Zinedine’s sons have followed in their father’s footsteps of forging a career in the sport. While eldest son Enzo’s next step in the sport is uncertain, Enzo’s brother Luca currently plays for top-flight side Rayo Vallecano.
Theo and Elyaz are both working their way through the youth ranks in Spain. Theo is at Real Madrid Castilla currently and Elyaz is at the Real Madrid youth academy.
But more pressing is the current future of Zinedine Zidane’s managerial career that hangs tantalisingly in the balance.
One of the greatest players ever
During his playing career, Zidane was hailed by many as being one of the great players in the history of the game. The famous number 10 had everything and was regarded as being the complete midfielder.
Zidane boasted visionary passing skills, physical strength and ball control that was delicate and technically sublime. His peers praised him and fans revelled in watching his natural ability. Zidane had a playing career that was fairly settled.
Born in Marseille, France in 1972, Zidane entered the game at the professional level with Cannes. He would spend a total of four years at the club, despite having only gone there for a six-week trial. Zizou was handed a pro-debut in 1989 in the French top flight.
Zidane moved on to spend a few seasons playing for Bordeaux in Ligue 1 and it was during that time that he received an international call-up for the first time in 1994. Just four years later Zdinae would lift the World Cup title with his country.
Some of Zidane’s Playing Honours
- 1998 World Cup Winner
- Euro 2020 Winner
- UEFA Champions League 2001/02
- UEFA Super Cup 1996, 2002
- Serie A 1996/97, 1997/98
- La Liga 2002/03
- Spanish Super Cup 2001, 2003
- Italian Super Cup 1997
As one of the most talented players in the world, it was only natural that big clubs would come knocking. They did. The first of those was Juventus to whom Zidane moved for the start of the 1992/93 season. At the time, Juventus were the reigning Champions League titleholders.
During his first season with Juve, Zidane would win the Serie A title with the club, immediately making a huge impact in the middle of the park. A second league title in Italy came the following season in a successful defence of the Scudetto.
In 2001 the Zidane affair with Real Madrid started. He joined the Spanish giants as part of the Galacticos, playing alongside the likes of David Beckham, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Robinho and Sergio Ramos.
Zidane scored the winner in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayer Leverkusen with one of his most iconic career goals. It was a sweetly-struck volley from 18 yards out, with his weaker left foot. The following 2002/03 season saw Zidane claim his only La Liga title with Real Madrid.
On the international stage, Zizou made 108 appearances for his country, scoring 31 goals, and along with winning the 1998 World Cup, also claimed the Euro 2000 title with France.
Zizou’s managerial might
Zidane’s managerial career started with a spell at Real Madrid Castilla, where he would get a good grounding. It was in January 2016 that he was projected into arguably the biggest hot seat in the game, the managerial position of Real Madrid.
For a first position as a head coach, replacing the out-going Rafa Benitez at the Bernabéu was some job to land. The move by the club paid immediate dividends as Zidane guided them to UEFA Champions League success.
In his first full season with the Real Madrid, he would take them not only to a domestic league title but also to a successful Champions League title defence.
After remarkably guiding them to an unprecedented third straight UEFA Champions League in 2018 with a victory over Liverpool, Zidane ended his spell as Madrid head coach. He cited that the club simply needed a change.
Zidane’s Managerial Honours
- La Liga 2016/17, 2019/20
- UEFA Champions League, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
- UEFA Super Cup 2016, 2017
- FIFA Club World Cup 2016, 2017
- Spanish Super Cup 2017, 2020
Change indeed did happen after Zidane’s departure, but not a positive one for the Spanish giants. They struggled in the league and then were eliminated early in the Champions League the following season. The path for Real Madrid seemed pretty clear after rapid failures with Julien Lopetegui and Santiago Solari, and that was to convince Zidane to come back.
Zizou returned in March 2019 with the hope that he could once again galvanise the dressing room and put some shine on what was heading towards being another disappointing season. He did that just that, as Zidane took Madrid to another league title the following season.
For his final season in charge, the 2020/21 campaign, he left the club again in what turned out to be a trophyless season.
What road next for Zidane?
Since the summer of 2021, Zinedine Zidane has been on a hiatus from managerial life in the game. But will that end? Will he be tempted back into action? Given the track record that he has in the UEFA Champions League, a big target for the elite European clubs in the game, Zidane remains a man in hot demand.
That demand comes, despite Zizou being cited as more of a motivator than a great tactical technician during his managerial career. Critics have said that it has been perhaps more luck than managerial skill that has seen Zidane secure his impressive managerial list of successes.
Whatever it is, Zidane seems to have had the magic touch in what is, after all, still a fledgling managerial career. There remains no doubt that Zidane is one of the highest-profile names in the business. Top clubs will want him.
One possible destination for him is French Ligue 1 team Paris St Germain. The French club boasts stars like Kylian Mbappe, Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi. As PSG have been so dominant on the domestic front, the Parisian giants are desperate to land the UEFA Champions League title.
That is something that Zidane has a proven track record of doing. With reports that Mauricio Pochettino will not see out the final season of his contract with PSG, there is a pretty large door that would be open if Zidane takes the road to Paris.
New talent to nurture
The newly minted grandfather Zinedine Zidane, a former Real Madrid Galactico and World Cup winner, left a massive legacy on the pitch as a player.
Wherever Zidane’s managerial career takes him next, in new granddaughter Sia there perhaps lies a future Real Madrid Femenino star to nurture, or at least a new Real Madrid supporter to mould.
