Like Father, Like Son! Under Zidane’s Watch, 27-Year-Old Luca Becomes a Star: Two Consecutive Clean Sheets, First Algerian Keeper in 31 Years

Zinedine Zidane, once a world-renowned midfield maestro, had seen little impact from his four sons on the professional stage—until now. His second son, goalkeeper Luca Zidane, has recently caught attention with outstanding performances.

In the early hours of December 29, Algeria faced Burkina Faso in the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations group stage. Luca started both matches, with his father watching from the stands. In the 20th minute, Mahrez converted a penalty, giving Algeria a 1-0 lead. At the 35th minute, Luca made a nervous back-pass to an opponent, but the striker failed to capitalize; Luca quickly recovered with a diving save. In the 42nd minute, an opponent’s corner struck the post, but Luca remained composed. He played the full 90 minutes, made two crucial saves, and helped Algeria secure a 1-0 victory, marking two consecutive wins, earning a match rating of 7.1.

Remarkably, Luca kept clean sheets in his first two Africa Cup appearances for Algeria, becoming the first Algerian goalkeeper to achieve this since Hanichedd in 1996. At 27, Luca previously represented France at youth level and has played for Algeria’s senior team since September last year. He said in an interview that both his father and grandfather fully supported his decision.