Zidane returns to World Cup, but in Algeria colours
When the name Zidane appeared on the back of Algeria’s goalkeeper’s jersey against Argentina in their opening World Cup match, it inevitably brought back memories of one of France’s greatest ever footballers.
But this time, it was not Zinedine Zidane. It was his son, Luca Zidane, standing between the posts for Algeria -- wearing a protective face mask after recovering from a serious facial injury.
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Born in France and raised largely in Spain during his father’s illustrious playing and coaching career at Real Madrid, the 28-year-old chose to represent Algeria through his paternal roots. Zinedine Zidane’s parents were Algerian, and Luca has often spoken about the strong Algerian culture within his family.
“We’ve lived in an Algerian culture since we were small,” Luca said in an earlier interview. “It’s an honour to play for Algeria.”
The decision gave him the opportunity to fulfil every footballer’s dream -- playing on the World Cup stage -- although his first appearance came under difficult circumstances against defending champions Argentina, who ran 3-0 winners thanks to a hattrick from Lionel Messi.
Luca’s unusual appearance with a black face mask was another talking point. The Granada goalkeeper suffered a fractured jaw, chin injuries and a severe concussion after a collision in a Spanish league match in April, putting his World Cup participation in doubt.
However, he recovered in time to claim Algeria’s number one jersey for their return to football’s biggest stage.
For many fans, seeing a Zidane at a World Cup brought back memories of the French legend who lifted the trophy in 1998 and reached another final in 2006. Two decades later, the famous surname has returned -- this time guarding Algeria’s goal.
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