SNOW TV NEWS DESK
Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, has been left out of the national team squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Togo.
Algeria coach Brahim Hemdani announced the 26-man squad on Thursday, explaining that the decision to exclude the 28-year-old goalkeeper was based purely on sporting considerations rather than any disciplinary or personal issues.
Zidane has endured a difficult period with the national team in recent months, having been sidelined by an injury and a two-match suspension following his involvement in a confrontation during Algeria’s AFCON encounter with Nigeria in January.
However, Hemdani insisted that his latest omission was unrelated to those setbacks, stressing that he wanted three goalkeepers who were regularly featuring for their respective clubs.
“I need to have three goalkeepers who were getting as much playing time as possible,” the coach explained.
The Algeria manager subsequently selected Oussama Benbot of USM Alger, Melvin Mastil of the Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, and Abdelatif Ramdane of MC Alger for the upcoming fixtures.
Luca, who currently plays for Spanish club Leganés, switched his international allegiance in September 2025 to represent Algeria, a country with which he shares family roots through his paternal heritage.
His absence from the latest squad has attracted attention, particularly given his high-profile family background and the expectations surrounding his decision to represent the North African nation.
Another notable omission is Manchester City defender Rayan Aït-Nouri, whose relationship with the coaching staff reportedly came under scrutiny after he was sent home during the September international break following an alleged disagreement during the match against Zambia.
Hemdani, however, played down suggestions of an ongoing dispute, insisting that there was no problem with the defender and that his exclusion was based on the selection criteria.
The coach also made it clear that neither player had been permanently ruled out of future national team selections.
“Anything is possible in the future, and no one has been permanently excluded,” he said.
Algeria will face Togo on November 14 and 17 as they continue their campaign to secure qualification for the next AFCON tournament.
The Fennecs currently lead Group I with four points from their opening two matches, ahead of Zambia and Burundi.
For Luca Zidane, the omission represents another setback in his international journey, although the coach’s comments suggest that a return remains possible if he can meet the team’s selection requirements.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
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