Zidane gets his own padel rackets: adidas launches the Metalbone ZZ

Zinedine Zidane now has his name on a padel racket. adidas has launched the Metalbone ZZ, a two-model range the brand presents as its first padel collaboration with the former Real Madrid coach. Zidane took over the French national football team this summer. The rackets were listed this week on adidas's French online store.

Two rackets, two price points

The top model is the Metalbone ZZ Carbon, priced at €300 (reference KN0489). It has a 6K carbon face, a round shape and a centred balance. Its feel is aimed at control and precision rather than all-out power. According to Actu Padel, it weighs 360 to 375 grams, uses a low-density EVA core and includes adidas's Octagonal Structure, Extra Power Grip and Spin Blade Decal.

The second model is the Metalbone ZZ Team, priced at €180 (reference KN0490). It keeps the same round shape, the same weight range and the same structural features. The difference is a fibreglass face and a Spin Blade Gritt finish, which give it a softer feel and an easier ball exit. That makes the €120 difference between the two models a straightforward choice for buyers. The Carbon gives a firmer response for advanced players, and the Team gives a more forgiving touch for club players and people new to the sport.

The ZZ range is unusual for the Metalbone line. Metalbone has mostly been known for aggressive diamond-shaped rackets built around power. Both ZZ models instead use a round head and centred balance, a shape that suits defensive, control-oriented players.

Why Zidane, and why now

The timing is good for the brand. On 28 July, the French Football Federation named Zidane as Didier Deschamps' successor at the head of Les Bleus, with a contract running to the 2030 World Cup. That has put him back at the centre of French sport. Padel Magazine also notes that he ranked fifth in a list of the French public's favourite personalities in December 2025.

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His interest in padel is long-standing. In a 2022 interview with L'Équipe, quoted by Actu Padel, he said he played padel regularly and that it was part of his life. He is also involved in club padel through the Z5 network. The Z5 Padel site in Aix-en-Provence has 12 courts, and a further six courts are in Istres, according to Actu Padel. adidas Padel has supplied equipment to that project.

A big signal for France

The launch comes as French padel keeps setting records. The national championships in Agen this month broke participation records across every level. With one model at €180 and one at €300, both carrying the name of France's best-known football figure, the range is clearly aimed at the country's growing community of club players.

The deal also shows a wider trend: big sports names and sportswear brands are moving into a racket market long led by Spanish specialists. Both Metalbone ZZ models are already listed on adidas.fr, and several specialist padel retailers, including in Italy, have added them to their online catalogues as 2026 models.