Elyaz Zidane debuts for Red Star FC using only first name

Elyaz Zidane, the 20-year-old son of football legend Zinedine Zidane, has debuted for the French Ligue 2 club Red Star FC while opting to use only his first name on his jersey. This symbolic decision is intended to help him establish his own professional identity and avoid constant comparisons to his father.

Following in the footsteps of his brothers, who have also used different names or their mother’s surname, Fernandez, to distance themselves from the family legacy, Elyaz recently transferred from Real Betis to seek more consistent playing time.

In his debut match against Nantes, the 1.94-meter defender played the full 90 minutes, helping his team secure a 1-0 away victory and keeping a clean sheet.