French football star Zinedine Zidane’s son, Luca Zidane, has decided to represent Algeria in international football, aiming to play in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Luca, a 27-year-old goalkeeper, received approval from FIFA to change his national team allegiance after previously playing for France at various youth levels.
He currently plays for Granada, a team in Spain’s second division, and his decision is part of Algeria’s effort to bolster its goalkeeping options.
Over the past year, Algeria has used several different goalkeepers, but none have truly established themselves in the position.
By bringing Luca into the team, they hope to gain the stability they need.
Luca grew up in the Real Madrid youth system and is one of four brothers, all of whom have been part of the club’s academy.
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He has played for Real Madrid’s senior team and spent time at other clubs in Spain.
Although Luca has represented France in youth competitions, he needed to officially switch his allegiance to play for Algeria, which he can do due to his father’s Algerian roots from the Kabylie region.
Algeria is a strong candidate to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America, with an important qualifying match against Somalia coming up.
Zinedine Zidane, Luca’s father, famously won the World Cup with France in 1998 and remains a legendary figure in football.
He ended his playing career dramatically during the 2006 World Cup final, where he received a red card.
