Zidane experiment fails in AFCON – will Algeria look for alternatives at 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Algeria’s hopes of solving a big-name goalkeeping crisis flopped at the Africa Cup of Nations, and they will have to look for alternatives before the World Cup kicks off later this year.

Luca Zidane, the son of World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, was plucked from obscurity in the Spanish second tier to help Algeria with a lack of goalkeeping talent, but it was a gamble that backfired on Saturday.

Zidane’s goalkeeping was anything but convincing as Algeria lost 0-2 to Nigeria in the quarter-finals in Marrakesh.

A bizarre jump rather than dive to deny Victor Osimhen’s header gave Nigeria the lead early in the second half, and poor distribution from Zidane allowed the opposition to steal possession and score again ten minutes later.

There had been a lot of attention when Zidane was invited to play for Algeria, the country where his famous father’s parents are from, and he was also in the spotlight when the Cup of Nations got underway in Morocco.

Although Luca Zidane made two appearances for Real Madrid when his father coached there, he failed to make a big breakthrough and spent six of the past seven seasons in the second tier of Spanish football.

Algeria’s first choice for the past five years has been Anthony Mandrea, who played with Angers in Ligue 1. However, when his latest club Caen were relegated to the French third division last season, Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said he would not consider selecting a player from such a low league level.

The 27-year-old Zidane, who like his three brothers won caps for France at junior level, swapped his international suitability in September for a back-up for Alexis Guendouz, who had risen to Algeria’s first-choice position.

However, Guendouz was injured on the eve of the tournament, forcing Zidane into the side.

Struggling as NIGERIA turned the screws

He played in two of the three group games without conceding and again kept a clean sheet behind solid defense in the last 16 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But in the line of fire against a ferocious Nigeria, Zidane was found wanting. He was fortunate to see the ball clear the line in the first half when he ventured off his line for a free-kick but misjudged the ball’s flight, and was then caught several times in the second half as Nigeria turned the screws and won comfortably.

Zidane, whose parents were in Morocco to watch him, will hope to stay in contention for Algeria’s World Cup campaign, where they are drawn in Group J against Argentina, Jordan and Austria.

But his performance will have Petkovic thinking about other options for the tournament in North America.

Published on January 11, 2026