Luca, the Zidane who chose Algeria: why he chose to play for the African country
The 28-year-old goalkeeper chose to play for the North Africans and made his debut in October of last year. At youth level, he represented France.
Luca Zidane is ready to stand in the way of the reigning world champions. Algeria’s starting goalkeeper will be the man tasked with stopping Messi and company — and while everyone knows he’s the son of Zinedine Zidane, far fewer people know how he ended up defending the net for the Desert Foxes.
Born in Marseille in 1998 but raised mostly in Madrid, Luca grew up with three national‑team options. He could have played for France, where his father became a global icon; Spain, the country that shaped him as a player; or Algeria, the homeland of his paternal grandparents.
In September of last year, thanks to those Algerian family roots, he was officially declared eligible to represent Algeria.
How Luca Zidane joined Algeria’s national team
It took just one month for the North African squad to call him up. After a strong season with Granada, Luca made his senior debut for Algeria during a World Cup qualifier against Uganda on October 14, 2025. Algeria won 2–1, and Luca played all 90 minutes — a confident first step in his new international identity.
Since then, he has made seven appearances for the national team under Vladimir Petkovic.
The Zidane brothers and their national‑team crossroads
Luca isn’t the only member of the Zidane clan who faced a three‑flag dilemma. Each of the four brothers grew up eligible for three national teams, and each made his own choice:
- Enzo Zidane — Started with Spain’s U‑15s, later switched to France’s U‑17s.
- Theo Zidane — Chose France and moved through several youth levels.
- Elyaz Zidane — Also chose France and played in the most recent U‑20 World Cup.
A French past, an Algerian future
During his youth career, Luca consistently chose France. He wore the French U‑17 jersey and even became a European champion, turning into the hero of the semifinal by saving three penalties against Belgium.
Nearly a decade later, Algeria knocked on his door — and the chance to play in a World Cup representing the country of his grandparents was too meaningful to pass up. The decision worked for both sides: Algeria gained a high‑level goalkeeper, and Luca gained a national team where he could build his own legacy rather than live in the shadow of his father’s.
Now, mask and all, he’s stepping onto the biggest stage in world soccer, ready for his World Cup adventure.
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