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Luca Zidane and the Curse of a Genius Father

As a goalkeeper, you'd think it would be tough to compare Luca Zidane to his famous father – but you would be wrong.

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports UK.

Zinedine Zidane's kids have a lot to live up to. The Frenchman was one of the greatest footballers of all time, playing a vital role in his country's World Cup victory in 1998, their Euro 2000 triumph, and their run to the 2006 World Cup final. At club level he also won everything for Real Madrid and Juventus. He exists in a very elite group of players who seemed to be engaged in a game of their own invention.

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On another note, he also has an ability to produce strong male heirs that would have made Henry VIII weep pitiful tears of jealousy. Zidane has four sons, all of whom play at different levels of Real Madrid's youth system. They almost certainly won't reach the same level as their father – because only a handful of people ever will – but the pressure on them to do so will forever be immense.

In this sense, perhaps the best set of the bunch is 17-year-old Luca Zidane, who plays in goal for Madrid's Juvenil A youth squad. Choosing a career between the sticks, there is no way that Luca can be compared with his dad. He can be his own man, right?

Aha, but the internet has found a way! Luca was recently sent off for this remonstration in a game against Atletico Madrid (he's plainly visible as the lad in a bright green goalie kit).

Naturally, this sparked countless articles shouting about how Luca takes after his old man, who famously headbutted Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup Final.

Yet there is absolutely no similarity between the two. All Luca actually does is go head-to-head with the Atletico player, then push him in the chest. If it was a pro game, a red card would feel pretty harsh; perhaps at this age level it makes sense to punish players more severely so that it becomes engrained in them; or maybe he does something else we've missed. But it really doesn't show anything malicious.

What it does show, however, is that Luca can never escape his famous father's shadow. Even in a career playing in goal, he seems doomed to be measured against Zinedine forever. Comparing his headbutt to Zidane Sr's rhino-like effort in '06 is like comparing a bulldozer with a Kia Pride. And yet it happens.

One outlet who ran the story also pondered: "If you've got Zinedine Zidane's talented genes why would you waste them by being a goalkeeper?"

Dunno guys, but maybe ask Gigi Buffon or Manuel Neuer how badly they've wasted their careers? And then perhaps ask if you can see their World Cup medals.

Luca, for your own sake, switch profession and become an IT technician or a bus driver. It'll be way less stressful than what's in store.