A historic surname on the road to the 2026 World Cup

The Zidane name will once again be present at a World Cup, although this time under different colors. Luca Zidane, Granada goalkeeper and son of Zinedine Zidane, has been called up by Algeria for the 2026 World Cup, a milestone that represents one of the most important moments of his professional career.

The 28-year-old goalkeeper’s call-up has attracted enormous international attention because of the weight of his surname and the symbolism of seeing a member of the Zidane family compete in a World Cup without representing France.

Luca Zidane chose Algeria over France

Although he was born in France and progressed through the French youth national teams, Luca Zidane decided to switch his sporting nationality to represent Algeria, the country of origin of his paternal grandparents.

The decision drew attention because his father, Zinedine Zidane, became an absolute legend of French football after winning the 1998 World Cup and the European Championship with Les Bleus.

However, Luca chose to follow a different path and build his own identity on the international stage, inevitably moving away from comparisons with one of the greatest figures in football history.

A call-up that comes after overcoming adversity

Luca’s presence in the World Cup squad carries added significance. Just a few weeks ago, the goalkeeper suffered a fractured jaw and chin, a situation that cast doubt over his availability for the tournament.

He managed to recover and returned to training wearing a protective mask, convincing the coaching staff led by Vladimir Petkovic to keep him involved in the World Cup project.

Algeria dreams of competing and surprising

The Algerian national team returns to the World Cup after 12 years with a blend of experience and talent led by Riyad Mahrez, Ismaël Bennacer and Luca Zidane.

Algeria was drawn into Group J alongside Argentina, Austria and Jordan, a demanding section that will test the ambitions of the African side.