"LET HIM LIVE!" exclaimed Didier Deschamps, the France coach, earlier this year.
Who was Deschamps referring to? None other than the son of a former teammate: Enzo Zidane, son of Zizou.
Deschamps was asked about the Real Madrid Castilla midfielder's first call-up to the France U19 team last season - and pleaded with the media to let the boy be.
But, sorry Dede, it's going to happen this season. Enzo Zidane is going to make his first team debut in a Real shirt some time in the coming months - and with it will come a tidal wave of worldwide publicity.
Rafa Benitez, the Real coach, already has Enzo training with his first team.
Made captain of Castilla this season by his Dad. If there's pressure to go with the job, Enzo hasn't shown it. The midfielder, at 20, has been outstanding in a young Castilla team which sits second in Segunda B and appear nailed on for promotion.
This season, Enzo has already seen Castilla teammates Borja Mayoral, Marcos Llorente and Philipp Lienhart all included in first team squads. It's no leap to suggest the captain, now a permanent fixture at senior training, will be among the next in line.
"Just leave him alone," insisted Deschamps when quizzed about Zidane Jr's U19 call. It was big news - Enzo could easily have pledged his international future to Spain. But Deschamps pleaded with local media to ease off the kid.
"He has a name known worldwide and it's going to be quite difficult to handle. But he is not the same story as his father.
"He is one player among others. That does not make him a special case. Let him live his life. It's not easy when you're the 'son of' even when one is the son of Zidane."
The French Football Federation have played their part. Media reps have been banned from training sessions this year where Enzo has been involved and the youngster has been kept away from interviews. The same is occurring at Real - which is a strange situation given Enzo is Castilla captain.
For his part, Dad (typically) shrugs off the fuss. Zinedine Zidane has never been shy in discussing Enzo's potential and by making him captain, showed the confidence he has in his son's character.
"There's a lot of pride seeing him develop," says Zizou, "but we also know its complicated.
"I'm hard on him. But I think this will serve him in the future.
"I was always hard on myself. I think we have similar attitudes."
Famously, Sir Alex Ferguson, when Manchester United manager, offered to take Enzo, at 16, to Old Trafford to help his development without the added pressure of expectations at Real. But Zizou declined and is appreciative of how Real have managed his son's career through the junior levels.
"He only plays because he deserves his place," says Zizou. "It's hard, but he knows in the locker room, he is just another player.
"The club is the same. They treat him as they would anyother player. It's what he wants."
While now a regular with the first team, it was actually Jose Mourinho, in 2010, who first spotted Enzo's potential and introduced the then 15 year-old to train alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain.
Zizou can take credit for Enzo's development this season. Benitez doesn't play favourites and the decision to call up Enzo will have been made on merit.
Castilla coach Zidane adds: "I'm a little hard on him because I'm picky.
"Physically, he's actually well ahead of me at the same age.
"But I know he can do better."
Like many at the FFF, Zidane was happy Enzo chose France over Spain earlier this year.
"He was selected because he is deserving. And not because he's called Zidane. On a pitch, he creates beautiful things. I'm proud of him, as was my father during my first cap. It is as a father I am speaking."
That family pride is sure to continue this season with Enzo's first team debut almost inevitable.
At 20, Enzo will become the first, but not the last, of the Zidane clan to break into senior football. Luca Zidane, a goalkeeper, is an U17 France international, while Theo (13) and Elyaz (10) are playing in Real's junior teams.
But Enzo will be the trailblazer and like Dad, those who have worked with the midfielder are confident he'll be able to handle the media circus that will come with his debut.
"Why does he need protection?" asks Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol, formerly with the FFF's youth setup, "why should we protect someone who's big enough to protect himself?
"He's just there to play football. We're all someone's son."
Sagnol can see the likeness between Enzo and his former Les Bleus teammate - but says everything needs to be judged long-term.
"If, within three or four years, he's a regular with Real, you can make comparisons with Zinedine. But today, it is much too early."
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