After his big debut with the Algerian team last December for the 2025 African Cup of Nations in Morocco – with a disappointing outcome collectively and individually in the quarter-finals against Nigeria (2-0) – Luca Zidane is preparing for the 2026 World Cup. The goalkeeper son of “Zizou” is preparing to compete in the most beautiful football competition, as a starter for the Greens led by Vladimir Petkovic.
Zidane is now forced to wear a mask since his double facial fracture on May 26 with his Liga 2 club, Granada. Forced to undergo surgery on his chin and jaw, the player trained at Real Madrid missed the end of his Andalusian club’s season in segunda division but participated normally in the early preparation of the Algerians.
Luca Zidane keeps 23
Officially present in the Fennecs group of 26 for the World Cup 26 (played entirely in the United States from the quarter-finals), Luca Zidane will wear number 23. The former U20 tricolor had inherited this number for CAN 2025 and decided not to change. Melvin Mastil, goalkeeper for Stade Nyonnais (Swiss D2) and Algerian international since March, takes number 1 (held by Anthony Mandrea last winter), while Oussama Benbot keeps 16.
On this list of numbers sent to Fifa, we note that the prodigy Ibrahim Maza will display the 22 on his back, as at the African Cup of Nations. It is Farès Chaïbi who recovers the 10 from Ismaël Bennacer. Amine Gouiri takes the 9 from Baghdad Bounedjah, while captain Riyad Mahrez obviously still has the number 7. Nabil Bentaleb, who was also not at the CAN, inherits the 19.
