Hailing from one of football’s renowned families, Luca Zidane is the child of Zinedine Zidane, a pivotal player in France’s 1998 World Cup triumph. At 28, he represented Les Bleus at youth levels before dedicating his future to Algeria last year, thanks to his grandparents’ Algerian heritage.
“We’ve been immersed in Algerian culture since our childhood,” Zidane shared with The Athletic. “It’s an honor to represent Algeria. The ultimate decision was mine, but I consulted with my family, including my parents, siblings, and grandfather. My father was pleased; he understood it was a dream of mine. Playing in a World Cup is something every child dreams of.”
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Born in France and predominantly raised in Spain, where he currently plays for second-tier club Granada CF, the goalkeeper made his choice to play for Algeria last autumn.
Luca Zidane debuted for the Algerian senior team in October and quickly became a fixture in the national squad. He also participated in the Africa Cup of Nations, where Les Fennecs were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Nigeria on January 10.
The Zidane family has resided in Madrid since 2001, when Zinedine Zidane made a high-profile transfer from Juventus FC to Real Madrid CF. Growing up in a football-centric household, all four sons: Enzo, Luca, Theo, and Elyaz, showed a natural inclination towards the sport from a young age.
“From a young age, we would all go to (Real Madrid’s) Valdebebas (academy) to practice,” Zidane recounted. “We’d also spend hours playing at home: two against two in the garden. There were definitely some disputes; we’re all quite competitive. My mum occasionally grew weary of it, but those are cherished memories.”
Unlike his brothers, Luca Zidane chose to become a goalkeeper. He progressed through the academy system at Real Madrid CF and was instrumental in the club’s journey to the semi-finals of the 2015-16 UEFA Youth League. With his father, Zinedine Zidane, coaching the senior side, Luca frequently practiced alongside icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, and Karim Benzema.
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“At home, he’s your father, but at Valdebebas, he’s just the coach,” Zidane remarked.
“He might be a bit tougher on you compared to other players, but that didn’t affect me. At that stage, regardless of who your coach is, you must work hard every day to reach the highest level possible.”
Establishing himself as Granada’s first-choice goalkeeper has proven challenging for Luca Zidane. Over the past two seasons, he has had to seize every chance while under the scrutiny that naturally accompanies his last name.
Last June, a notable error during a promotion match against Racing de Santander garnered attention after a botched clearance resulted in an easy goal for the opponents.
“When you carry the Zidane name, everything you do resonates more,” he explains. “People are poised for something negative to occur, so they can comment on it. But I’ve been managing this since childhood, so it feels second nature. I constantly strive to improve and be the best goalkeeper I can be.”
