Luca Zidane yet to concede for Algeria at AFCON | OneFootball

*By AFP

Son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane and raised in Spain, Luca Zidane is shining at the Africa Cup of Nations, guarding Algeria’s goal: he is the only starting goalkeeper among the teams qualified for the quarterfinals who has yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

Maintaining that status won’t be easy, as he will face Nigerian strikers Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in Marrakech on Saturday in the quarterfinal match.

Osimhen and Lookman, both winners of the African Player of the Year award, have tormented opposing defenses throughout the tournament, each scoring three goals.

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With the family in the stands

Luca, 27, kept clean sheets in the group stage matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso, before being rested for the game against Equatorial Guinea.

He returned as the starter in the round of 16 match against the Democratic Republic of Congo and, once again, finished the game without picking the ball out of the net, in a dramatic 1-0 victory in extra time.

His father, Zinedine, watched every match Luca played in Morocco defending the ‘Desert Foxes’.

“It’s special when your family comes to watch your games,” said the goalkeeper, who came up through the youth ranks at Real Madrid and currently plays for Granada in Spain’s second division.

Born in France, Luca represented his native country in five different youth categories.

According to FIFA rules, he could also have played for Spain or Algeria, the countries where his maternal and paternal grandparents were born, respectively.

Last year, he chose Algeria, making his debut in a 2026 World Cup Qualifier against Uganda in November. When an injury sidelined starting goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz from the Africa Cup of Nations, Luca Zidane became the starter.

“I’m proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s a great experience,” he told reporters.

Closely watched since childhood, just like his three brothers, Luca’s presence in the Algerian national team generated great expectations before the tournament.

“His last name carries a lot of weight”

“He’s like everyone else, like all the players. He integrated well, and we integrated him well. He’s new, he doesn’t complicate things, and he tries to give his best for the team. And I think he doesn’t pay much attention to the buzz,” said Algerian captain Riyad Mahrez, 34, before admitting: “Well, it’s true that his last name carries a lot of weight.”

The goalkeeper has followed the media’s pre-established script since his first call-up. “I’m very happy to be here. It’s an honor for me, and I’ll give 100% so that the Algerian people can be proud,” he said at the time.

African champions in 2019, Algeria is looking for a worthy successor to Raïs M’Bolhi, who was the undisputed starting goalkeeper for more than a decade. Guendouz took over the position in 2023, and now Luca Zidane is competing for the spot in the long term.

Luca became a potential player for the Algerian national team on September 19, when FIFA approved his change of sporting nationality.

“My whole family is proud of me and supports me in all my decisions. My grandfather is happy that I’m playing for Algeria,” said Luca, who became a goalkeeper because, as a child, his father and older brother, Enzo, would put him in that position during family football games.

Son of the greatest midfielder in the history of the French national team, a Frenchman raised in Spain, Luca Zidane now has the opportunity to conquer Africa.

On the horizon is the 2026 World Cup, a competition his father won with France in 1998, scoring two headers against Brazil in the final (3-0).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.