AFCON 2025: Luca Zidane is expected to begin as Algeria reveals their squad
Luca Zidane is expected to start in goal for Algeria at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco after Alexis Guendouz withdrew due to injury.
Zidane, the 27-year-old son of French World Cup champion Zinedine Zidane, was able to make his claim after Guendouz, who suffered a knee injury in the Algerian league on Monday, was excluded from the 28-man roster that was revealed on Saturday.
After switching allegiance from France, where he played at the junior level, Zidane made his Algerian debut in a World Cup qualifying match in October. He presently plays for Granada of the Segunda División in Spain.
Zidane, whose Algerian ancestry dates back to the Kabylie region, is now anticipated to lead the goalkeeping line ahead of Anthony Mandrea, the prior first choice, and Oussama Benbot.
After Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic decided not to select goalkeepers from the French third division, Mandrea, who plays for Caen, received an unexpected recall despite having been dropped earlier.
The Algerian team consists of both up-and-coming players and seasoned internationals.
Baghdad Bounedjah, the hero of the 2019 AFCON final versus Senegal, is one of the team’s attacking players. Amine Gouiri, a forward for Olympique de Marseille, is a noticeable absence due to a shoulder injury he sustained during the World Cup qualifying match against Uganda.
Gouiri is not anticipated to return until February after missing the most recent AFCON in the Ivory Coast.
Along with Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan, Algeria has been assigned to Group E. The following is their squad:
Goalkeepers:
Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Luca Zidane (Granada), Anthony Mandrea (Caen)
Defenders:
Ryan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City), Youcef Atal (Al Sadd), Zineddine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Rafik Belghani (Hellas Verona), Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund), Samir Chergui (Paris FC), Mehdi Dorval (Bari), Jaouen Hadjam (Young Boys Berne), Aissa Mandi (Lille), Mohamed Amine Tougai (Esperance)
Midfielders:
Houssem Aouar (Al Ittihad), Ismael Bennacer (Dinamo Zagreb), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente), Adem Zorgane (Union Saint-Gilloise)
Forwards:
Mohamed Amoura (Werder Bremen), Monsef Bakrar (Dinamo Zagreb), Redouane Berkane (Al Wakrah), Adil Boulbina (Al Duhail), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al Shamal), Anis Hadj-Moussa (Feyenoord), Ilan Kebbal (Paris FC), Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli)
Algeria is set to depend on Zidane’s expertise and the strength of their attacking lineup to mount a formidable challenge for the continental title in Morocco.
