Luca Zidane challenges Messi: Zizou's son ready for his World Cup debut with Algeria


Algeria is preparing for its debut at the 2026 World Cup with a special challenge against current world champions Argentina. One of the most anticipated players of the evening in Kansas City is without a doubt Luca Zidane, the son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who is ready to defend the goalposts of the Fennec despite a recent and serious injury. The 28-year-old Granada goalkeeper should start as the titular against the Albiceleste, despite the jaw and chin fracture he suffered at the end of April. This problem had put his participation in the tournament in doubt, but does not seem to have affected his ambitions: "We are physically and mentally prepared, and that is the most important thing. We are waiting for this match with great enthusiasm," Zidane told DZfoot. His fitness had raised concerns in recent weeks, but his excellent performance in the friendly match against the Netherlands in Rotterdam (1-0 win) has given the Algerian team renewed confidence. This decisive test has confirmed his candidacy for a starting place in his World Cup debut. Considering the strength of the Argentina team led by Lionel Messi, the goalkeeper focuses mainly on the defensive solidity of his team: "We know that not conceding goals is already a huge step in a match of this level. We will try to be compact and organized, and with the attacking qualities we have, we can cause problems for everyone." Algeria also looks with confidence at the performance of other African countries, who have shown an excellent start to the tournament. Cape Verdean, Moroccan, Ivorian and Egyptian teams have already demonstrated the growth of African football on the global stage: "African football has been achieving great results for years and we see that in this competition. Now it is up to us to start our journey well," Zidane added.

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