Luca Zidane, the 27-year-old goalkeeper and son of legendary French footballer Zinedine Zidane, has been selected for Algeria’s squad for their final two matches in the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.
Having previously represented France at youth levels, Luca made the decision last month to switch his international allegiance to Algeria. He currently guards the net for Granada, competing in Spain’s Segunda División.
Since he never featured for the senior French national team, Luca remained eligible to represent Algeria, the homeland of his paternal grandparents.
Algeria currently tops their World Cup qualifying group with 19 points. A victory against Somalia in their upcoming fixture would secure their spot in the tournament, though they could also clinch qualification in their concluding match against second-placed Uganda.
In addition to their World Cup ambitions, the Algerian national team has already secured qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to kick off on December 21 in Morocco.
Luca Zidane’s career began in Real Madrid’s youth academy, which he joined in 2004. He progressed through the ranks and featured for the club’s reserve side before making his first-team debut in the final league game of the 2017-18 season. He was also part of the squad when Real Madrid claimed their 13th European title in 2018, serving as the third-choice goalkeeper.
Though Zinedine Zidane was born in Marseille, his family roots trace back to a small village near Bejaia, approximately 250 kilometers east of Algiers.