In the Indian Premier League 2023, Arjun Tendulkar was one of the most anticipated debutants for Mumbai Indians. Arjun – son of Sachin, India’s God of cricket — was hit for 31 runs in one over in a game, the joint-most expensive over in the IPL this season.
Being the child of a sporting legend can often be a burden or even an inexorable curse when they take the field, following their father or mother’s footsteps.
For Luca, son of Zinedine Zidane, the journey was no different.
A FIFA World Cup winner in 1998 with France and a four-time Champions League winner (thrice as manager, once as a player) with Real Madrid, Zidane became a trailblazer for the ‘Black-Blanc-Beur’ in French football – the congregation of Africans and Arabs in France’s football culture.
In a career spanning 27 years, Zidane won almost everything that he could have won and is still one of the best architects of the game on and off the field - as an attacking midfielder and a coach later.
His son, however, has walked on a different path. Luca, the second of his four sons, is a goalkeeper.
He started his football career aged six at the Real Madrid academy. Like a child whose parent is the principal of the school, Luca was scrutinised more strictly at Real and soon, he fell down the pecking order of the squad his father managed.
In a season where Real Madrid won its 13th Champions League title, he could manage only two appearances.
He made 49 appearances for Real Madrid B but was then loaned to Santander in 2019, but his moment of glory came two years later, Rayo Vallecano.
Vallecano’s first-team goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski had to leave for the European Qualifiers just before the La Liga promotion playoffs. Luca stepped up to get a crucial clean sheet, helping his side win 2-0.
The victory, a 3-2 win on aggregate, saw Vallecano get promoted to the top flight.
“I do not have much pressure to be the son of Zidane because I’ve had that all my life. So, I’m used to it,” he says.
He pauses for a bit, understanding that his next choice of words about Zizou has to be subtle, with media professionals around the world listening very carefully.
“Bueno (well),” he continues, “I have my own career – one that I’m trying to carve out for myself. And my and my father’s career are two different things.”
Luca had shown promise early on in his career when he won the under-17 European Championship with France in 2015.
Completing the group stage with all clean sheets, he ensured Les Blues’ spot in the final with a 2-1 win on penalties against Belgium.
Eight years later, he has taken the role of a clutch goalkeeper for second-division sides, eying a spot in La Liga. This season, he has made 31 appearances with Segunda Division side SD Eibar, bagging 14 clean sheets.
With him, Eibar has the fifth-best defence in the second division and is looking to return to Spain’s top-flight after two years.
“People who judge me by my surname should rather judge me by matches,” Luca says.
With his father, though, he has had a good relationship. The pressure for his son to perform, to excel, is something Zizou doesn’t stress about.
“What message did my father give me for this match? Well, he said to enjoy the time I get because it is a great opportunity,” the Eibar goalie says, smiling.
Granada and UD Las Palmas have already secured promotion, and Eibar is one of the four sides looking to become the third and final team to make it to La Liga next season. It faces Deportivo Alaves across two legs (June 3,9) in the first semifinal, while Levante plays Albacete Balompie in the other (June 4,8).
“The objective to get promoted to La Liga will be good for my professional career, and I think the team is ready to achieve that,” Luca said.
“The preparation is like any other match so that we can control our nerves. The experience (securing promotion with Rayo Vallecano) has really helped me and that will play an important part in the match.”
Earning promotion with a second-division side once and on the way to repeating it with another side, he has become Mr. Dependable between the sticks, going beyond his surname.
And that is something Luka Zidane’s father would be very proud of.
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