Luka Zidane’s Goalkeeping Crossroads: Algeria’s Desert Dilemma and a Shot at AFCON 2025

The Keeper Conundrum and Luka Zidane’s Late Entry

Noor Din Qurishi, the former Algeria defender who also served on the Desert Warriors’ coaching staff under the Swiss-trained Vladimir Petkovic, sheds light on the trouble Luka Zidane faces with the national team.

In an interview with Le Figaro, Qurishi said he hopes Granada’s goalkeeper can help fix Algeria’s ongoing goalkeeping crisis in recent years.

He explained that Zidane’s late integration into the squad limited the staff’s ability to evaluate him in official internationals, stressing that timing is crucial for a genuine assessment.

“The issue about Luka is that he joined the squad too late,” Qurishi said. “If he had tied himself to Algeria sooner, we would have had time to gauge his performance in official matches.”

“Goalkeeping is one of the biggest problems for Algeria at the moment, alongside the central defense,” he added, suggesting Zidane could be the right solution if he proves himself on the field.

He noted Zidane’s solitary appearance for Algeria came at the end of the World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, and he missed the latest camp in Saudi Arabia due to injury.

With Alexis Gunduz sidelined, the door could reopen for Zidane to be the starter during the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 in Morocco, should he maintain form and seize the opportunity.

“The path remains open for him, but he must show on the pitch that he can contribute to Algeria,” Qurishi concluded.

Punchline time: If Luka can keep a clean sheet, maybe the crossbar will finally stop laughing at us. If not, at least we’ll have a fresh excuse ready for the locker room: the ball ate our goalkeeper’s confidence.