The 20-year-old son of Zinédine Zidane joined the Ligue 2 club in the summer after leaving Real Betis, having previously developed through the youth system at Real Madrid. Unlike his brothers Théo and Luca, who play in midfield and goal respectively, Elyaz has settled into central defence.
He explained to Le Parisien how a growth spurt helped shape that decision.
“As a child, I tried a bit of everything in midfield and attack. Then I played at left-back, before I had a big growth spurt at around 15. My coaches then saw potential in me as a centre-back because I am tall, left-footed and have good ability on the ball. After discussing it, that was the most logical option.”
Standing at 1.96 metres, Zidane has already become a regular in the Red Star side. He featured in seven of the club's first eight league matches, establishing himself in the starting line-up soon after arriving.
Red Star were second in the Ligue 2 standings ahead of their meeting with leaders Saint-Étienne, giving the defender an early taste of a promotion race.
“I am a competitor and I want to win every match. But we are not putting pressure on ourselves. The season is still long. With the team and the staff, we are very ambitious,” he said.
Zidane's move also represented a deliberate change after years of development in Spanish football. Although he had other options in France, he felt Red Star offered the right environment to take the next step.
“Discussions had already taken place last year, but I was still under contract with Betis Seville. This summer, when I was free, the conversations started again and I was delighted.
“After doing all my development in Spain, I wanted to discover French football. I had other possibilities in France, but Red Star showed real confidence in me. The coach, Damien Perrinelle, called me to explain his playing project.”
He added: “I haven't made the wrong choice. Even though my football culture is deeply Spanish after my years of training there, I wanted to immerse myself in the French mentality and this league.”
For a young defender moving into senior football, regular starts and a team with ambitions of promotion offer a promising platform. Zidane's early involvement suggests that the move has given him the opportunity he was seeking, while allowing him to build an identity away from the reputation attached to his surname.