Football legend's son retired due to 'boredom' after going 16 months without a job

News Express |5th Aug 2025 | 246
Football legend's son retired due to 'boredom' after going 16 months without a job




The son of the iconic Zinedine Zidane, Enzo, retired from football at just 29 due to boredom. Enzo began his career with Italian giants Juventus in 2000, for whom his father also played. He signed for another of his dad's teams, Real Madrid, in 2004. After playing for the club's C and B teams, he made his debut for Los Blancos' senior side in 2016, under his dad, who was the manager at the time, where he even scored.

However, it proved to be a false dawn as he failed to make the grade at the Santiago Bernabeu. He then toiled at several clubs across Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and France before calling it a day in September 2024. His disillusionment with his place in the game perhaps comes as no surprise given that he hadn't tasted competitive action since May 2023, meaning he went 16 months without a club.

Enzo seemed to have the world at his feet when, at 21, he scored for Madrid with his very first touch of the ball in a 6-1 Copa del Rey win against Cultural Leonesa, but it was all downhill from there.

After Madrid, Enzo joined Spanish outfit Alaves, where he made just two appearances. A stint with Swiss side Lausanne-Sport then ended with a loan back to Spain with Rayo Majadahonda.

A brief spell in Portugal with Aves ended after 11 appearances before he saw his career out with short stints at Almeria, French side Rodez and finally at Fuenlabrada in Spain's fourth division.

Zidane Snr has three other sons who all play football. Theo, 23, is a midfielder at Cordoba, Luca, 27, is a goalkeeper for Granada, and Elyaz, 19, is currently at Real Betis. Yet Enzo struggled with living up to his father's legacy.

Spanish publication AS reported that Enzo had become 'bored', while in the past, he had cited the pressure of having Zinedine as his father.

Zidane Sr is regarded as one of the finest players and managers of all time. The World Cup 1998 winner clinched two Serie A titles with Juventus. His then-record-breaking £46million move to Madrid in 2001 saw him win La Liga and the Champions League.

However, the '98 Ballon d'Or winner's time as manager of the Spanish giants saw even more success. He won two La Liga titles and three Champions League victories. He has been out of work since 2021, but has been linked with a number of top clubs around Europe ever since.

The AS report stated that Enzo was now focused on spending time with his wife and three children. In the past, however, he has spoken about how tough it was to follow in his father's giant footsteps.

Enzo told Marca:" I’ve had it since I was little [comparisons with his father], and it’s always going to be that way. It’s not going to change, but I try to remove myself from it and focus on being the best possible Enzo.

"People compare you, criticise you, want more from you, and say you are there because you are somebody’s son. Others will be criticised for other things but I try not to think about it. The most important thing is that my family are proud of me. I just think about growing up as Enzo and nothing else.

"I was 22 years old at Madrid. After going through the academy and learning from the first team, my goal was to try other things and grow as a footballer.

"Madrid are the best team in the world and it is very difficult to find a space there, but the life of a player is like that. I wanted to leave to experience good moments elsewhere and have the same dream." (Express)




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Monday, September 29, 2025 2:31 PM
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