Luca Zidane: Heir to the Zidane Name Earns Algeria Call-Up for World Cup Qualifiers
2 octobre 2025
Key Details
Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, was called up today by the Algeria national team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the first time.
The Algerian Football Federation announced on September 19 that Luca Zidane had changed his sporting nationality and chosen to defend Algeria's colors.
Luca, 27, currently plays for the Spanish club Granada, having represented France at youth levels up to under 20, and he will represent Algeria, the homeland of his father's ancestors.
Luca Zidane remains eligible to represent Algeria, as he has not yet reached the France senior team.
Algeria tops Group 7 in the World Cup qualifiers with 19 points, and needs a win over Somalia or a draw with Uganda this month to secure a 2026 World Cup berth.
Algeria also secured participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they will play in Group 5 alongside Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.
Luca Zidane was formed at Real Madrid's academy, played 51 games for the reserve team Castilla (2016-2019) and two appearances for the first team before being loaned to Racing Santander in 2019-2020.
He then spent two seasons with Rayo Vallecano (2020-2022), helping the club return to the top flight in 2021.
In September 2022 he signed with Eibar of the second division, staying there until summer 2024 when he joined Granada.
The Zidane family originates from a village in Bejaia, more than 200 kilometers east of Algiers.
Zinedine Zidane has visited Algeria several times since retiring after the 2006 World Cup in Germany, notably in December 2006 at the invitation of the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Punchline 1: If Luca makes the Algeria squad, we'll finally know which Zidane is in charge of defense—the dad's influence or Luca's own hustle.
Punchline 2: And if football doesn't work out, hey, the Bejaia family tree just got a new branch called Zidane the Next Gen, coming to a pitch near you.
