Zinedine Zidane’s son part of tough France who Amajita face in World Cup opener

Amajita could have a tough time in their Fifa Under-20 World Cup opener on Monday night breaking the defence of football giants France, who have rising star Elyaz Zidane, the son of 1990s and 2000s legend Zinedine, at centreback.

Coach Raymond Mdaka’s South Africans open their Group E campaign at the 15-000-seat Estadio El Teniente in Rancagua, 90km south of capital Santiago in central Chile on Monday (5pm in Chile, 10pm SA time).

Chilly evening conditions of around 18°C are expected at the tail end of the Chilean winter.

While Zinedine Zidane was the gloriously-skilled playmaking fulcrum of the 1998 French senior World Cup-winning team, youngest son Elyaz has been making his way into senior football at Spanish Primera Federación (third tier) side Betis Deportivo, the reserve team for Real Betis.

The 19-year-old Real Madrid product — Zinedine has four sons and all of them came through Real’s academy — was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the five players to watch out for at the World Cup, where 2024 U-19 Euro runners-up France are one of the favourites.

“The youngest of Zinedine Zidane’s four sons joined Real Betis from Real Madrid in 2024 and has since become an untouchable in the club’s youth teams,” the magazine wrote. “Unlike his father and his brothers, Elyaz is a towering presence as a centreback in [coach] Bernard Diomède’s ‘Bluets’.

“Zidane recently helped France conquer the prestigious U-20 Maurice Revello 2025 tournament and looks poised to be the team’s defensive leader in the World Cup.”

While Zidane will marshal the defence, forward or left wing Lucas Michal — who played 13 games in all competitions for AS Monaco last season, though has not been fielded yet this campaign — is France’s danger attacking player.

Given South Africa’s lack of strong warm-up fixtures, Mdaka’s continental champions, surprise winners of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in May, would be pleased with a draw in the opener.

The coach said he hopes his side can again surpass expectations pushing for a medal in Chile, though admitted qualifying was an “achievement of a sort”.

“It’s not an achievement per se – an achievement would be if we end up getting silverware out of it. But one would appreciate being in football as a coach, for this moment in particular,” Mdaka told Safa media.

“… It all started with the first camp we had, having 60 to 80 players. The core of the team comes from that camp.

“Little did we know the roadmap we put up would lead to winning Cosafa and qualifying for Afcon, where our objective was qualifying for the World Cup – we’d never have thought of lifting the trophy and becoming the champions of Africa.

If we get the right structures, plans and support we can talk about qualifying and playing in the World Cup almost every time. But it has come out of a very good effort

—  Raymond Mdaka

“That booklet [report-back to Safa] tells the story of how much effort it took. The technical team has never changed. We know each other, how we operate and the effort made by everyone, including the support staff.

“It’s an achievement of a sort, especially for where we are as a [football] country. It shows there can be a brighter future.

“If we get the right structures, plans and support we can talk about qualifying and playing in the World Cup almost every time. But it has come out of a very good effort.”

With the tournament not scheduled on a Fifa international date, teams have struggled to secure some of their biggest-name stars.

Amajita are without Orlando Pirates centreback Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Club Brugge striker Shandre Campbell.

Mdaka, though, has the core of his Nations Cup-winning team in his squad, including Fletcher Smythe-Lowe of Estoril Praia in Portugal, who won Goalkeeper of the Tournament in Egypt.

A big presence will be dynamic centreback Tylon Smith, who earned a transfer to Championship side Queens Park Rangers from Stellenbosch FC in July on the back of being named Player of the Tournament at the U-20 Afcon.

Mamelodi Sundowns have the most representation with five players: defenders Asekho Tiwani and Thato Sibiya and midfielders Gomolemo Kekana, Kutlwano Letlhaku and Siyabonga Mabena.

Kaizer Chiefs’ skilful midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi and South Africa U-20 captain Patrick Autata of Durban City are also expected to feature prominently in Chile.