A Zidane with a blood and gold jersey on the shoulders, it’s the beautiful romance that continues between the Zidane family and Rodez. An idyll born at the end of the 1990s. Zinédine Zidane was then a footballer in Cannes, and he met the eyes of Véronique Fernandez, a dancer from Rodez.
On March 24, 1995, in Bordeaux, or “Zizou” begins to truly hatch, a certain Enzo is born. First of the Zidane siblings.
Enzo will grow up in the schoolyards of the Four Seasons, near where Véronique’s parents reside, while Zinedine Zidane shines brightly at Juventus in Turin.
In 2001, when the playmaker joined the prestigious Real Madrid, the whole family moved to Spain. Not far from the homeland of Véronique Fernandez, Andalusia.
Regularly visiting for the holidays
However, “Zizou” and his family regularly come to Rodez, to spend a few days of vacation there. Especially during the end of year celebrations. With its growing popularity, Zidane’s Ruthenian escapades go less and less unnoticed. An improbable crowd thus accompanies him for the inauguration of the new lighting of the Four-Seasons football stadium, in April 1999. But overall, Zidane is rather left alone when he comes to wander with his small family in the streets of the city. Gladly accepting a few selfies, he is regularly seen on the sports grounds of Vabre, near Rodez.
It was in 2011 that the link between Zinedine Zidane and Rodez was also played out on the football field. This is happening in Limoges. “Zizou” and Greg Ursule, who joined Rodez Aveyron football in 2004, are part of the seventh promotion to general manager of a sports club. The current goes very well between the two former professional players in retraining.
Zinedine Zidane shareholder of the RAF
In 2012, with among others Olivier Dacourt, who is also part of this promotion, Zinedine Zidane invests in the Raf, still chaired today by Pierre-Olivier Murat. And thus becomes one of the shareholders. He will wet the jersey to get the club out of a financial impasse by mobilizing his friends from France 98 for a gala evening at the Amphitheater in Rodez and a big party at the Paul-Lignon stadium, where the former internationals were opposed to Rodez for the benefit of the association “A jersey for life”. Unforgettable meetings for many Ruthenians!
Nine years later, Zinedine Zidane therefore sees one of his sons put on the blood and gold tunic. Something to please many people in the Ruthenian fold, and in particular the grandparents of Enzo Zidane who will therefore have the opportunity to see their grandson play at the Paul-Lignon stadium.
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