Luca Zidane, the 27-year-old son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, is poised to make his mark at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, potentially starting in goal for Algeria. The tournament is set to commence on December 21 in Morocco.
Zidane's path to the starting position has been cleared due to an unfortunate knee injury sustained by Alexis Guendouz, which led to Guendouz's exclusion from the 28-man squad. This twist of fate positions Zidane as the likely first-choice goalkeeper for Algeria in the upcoming competition.
Born in France, Luca Zidane recently switched his international allegiance to Algeria, the country of his paternal grandparents. FIFA approved the switch in September 2025. He made his debut for the Algerian national team in a World Cup qualifier match against Uganda in October. Despite representing France at the youth level, he remained eligible to represent Algeria due to his heritage.
Zidane expressed his excitement and commitment following his debut, stating, "It is an honour for me, and I will give 100% to make the Algerian people proud".
Algeria's coach, Vladimir Petkovic, also conveyed confidence in his team's prospects for the tournament. "I'm sure the players will arrive highly motivated and ready to play in this AFCON," he stated, outlining the team's primary goal to "get past the first round… with the ambition to go as far as possible in the tournament".
In the squad announcement made on Saturday, Zidane is joined by Oussama Benbot from USM Alger and Anthony Mandrea of Caen as the other goalkeepers selected. Mandrea received a surprise recall after Petkovic initially expressed reservations about selecting a goalkeeper playing in the third tier of French football, a consequence of Caen's relegation from Ligue 2 at the end of last season.
Algeria finds itself in Group E, where they will face off against Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan. Their campaign begins against Sudan on December 24. The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams.
The Algerian squad also includes Baghdad Bounedjah, the striker who secured Algeria's victory in the 2019 Cup of Nations final against Senegal. However, Olympique de Marseille attacker Amine Gouiri will be a notable absentee due to a shoulder injury sustained during the World Cup qualifier against Uganda in October.
Senegal, the reigning African champions, have also announced their squad for the AFCON, including six Premier League players. Coach Pape Thiaw acknowledged the high expectations placed on his team, affirming, "We are among the favorites and we accept that. I want a dominant team".
