Zidane Watches On as His 27-Year-Old Son Shines: Two Clean Sheets, Early Qualification, and a 29-Year Record

December 29, Algeria secured a crucial 1–0 victory over Burkina Faso in the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations Group E. Riyad Mahrez scored the decisive goal, sending Algeria through to the knockout stage with two wins from two matches. Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, aged 27, started once again and delivered his second consecutive clean sheet.

Among Zinedine Zidane’s four sons, Luca has enjoyed the most consistent professional development. While he may not have reached his father’s legendary status, he is steadily carving out his own path. After switching international allegiance in September, Luca made his Algeria debut during October’s World Cup qualifiers. At this AFCON, he has firmly established himself as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Algeria opened the tournament with a commanding 3–0 win over Sudan, with Luca Zidane playing the full 90 minutes and keeping a clean sheet. Against Burkina Faso, he repeated the feat. Statistics show that Luca Zidane is the first Algerian goalkeeper in 29 years to record clean sheets in his first two AFCON appearances, a milestone last achieved by Haniched in 1996.

The match was held at Prince Moulay Hassan Stadium in Morocco, with 18,522 spectators in attendance. In the VIP box, Zinedine Zidane and his family watched proudly as Luca delivered another composed performance. Though Zidane is French, his Algerian roots allow his son to represent Algeria—a fact warmly embraced by the fans, who erupted in applause when the cameras turned to the legendary midfielder.

Realistically, Luca Zidane is unlikely to break into the French or Spanish national teams. Representing Algeria has proven to be the perfect fit. With Algeria set to compete in the 2026 World Cup in North America, Luca is expected to remain the first-choice goalkeeper. For the Zidane family, Algeria is no longer just heritage—it is becoming a second footballing home.