Luca Zidane Opens Up About Mental Coach: “It Changed My Life in Football”

Luca Zidane, the 28-year-old goalkeeper for Algeria and son of football legend Zinedine Zidane, has revealed for the first time that he works with a mental coach. In an interview with Spanish journalist Edu Aguirre, the Granada CF player said the decision “changed my life, especially in football,” and stressed that mental preparation now carries equal weight to physical training.

The interview, published by Argentine outlet Clarín, comes as more footballers openly discuss the role of sports psychology and mental coaching in high-performance environments. Zidane acknowledged that such conversations were rare earlier in his career but believes the stigma is fading.

First public admission

Luca Zidane said he began working with a mental coach when he joined Eibar, a club he played for during the 2022–23 season before moving to Granada. “I have never talked about it before; this is the first time I am saying it,” he told Aguirre. “And for me it has changed my life, especially in football.”

He contrasted the current approach with the past. “Before, people did not talk about it so much, but nowadays it is just as important to be mentally well as physically well, and it helped me a lot,” he added.

The goalkeeper also noted that the benefits extend beyond the pitch. “It helps me in everything, in my personal life too,” he said.

Mental stability for goalkeepers

Zidane gave a detailed explanation of how mental coaching helps him manage the unique demands of his position. “Being a goalkeeper, concentration is very important. And that is worked on, just like physical training. Staying focused for the whole match is not easy,” he said.

He pointed out that a goalkeeper can go 10 or 15 minutes without touching the ball and then have a decisive action in the 90th minute. “The mental fatigue is often very high,” he said.

One of the key lessons he learned, he explained, is emotional regulation. “Knowing how to manage your emotions, whether they are good or bad. You should never be too high, and when things go very badly, you should never be too low. You have to be emotionally stable,” Zidane said.

Choosing Algeria and coping with the Zidane surname

During the interview, Luca also discussed his decision to represent Algeria at international level, despite being born in France. “I have always felt French and Algerian. My origins are from Algeria, my grandparents were born there,” he said.

He described the passion of Algerian fans as both a privilege and a pressure. “When you have an entire country behind you, it is difficult. For me, the fans are crazy about football; they live for football,” he said.

Regarding his famous surname, Zidane said he does not mind being called “Zidane’s son” but objects to the assumption that he owes his career to his father. “What bothers me is when people say that everything I achieve is thanks to my father,” he said. He added that he has learned to live with that pressure and avoids reading social media altogether. “I try to stay away from all of that,” he concluded.

Why this matters for FootballGames10 readers

Luca Zidane’s interview adds a personal, candid voice to the growing conversation about mental health in professional football. For followers of the game, his experience offers insight into how modern players, especially goalkeepers, are using sports psychology to improve consistency and handle pressure. The story also touches on the unique challenges faced by players with famous family names and dual-nationality players navigating international careers.

Source: Clarin Deportes – https://www.clarin.com/internacional/luca-28-anos-hijo-zinedine-zidane-hoy-dia-igual-importante-bien-mentalmente-fisicamente-coach-mental-ayudo-futbol_0_bbJGqf0Ll9.html