Algeria’s national team goalkeeper, Luca Zidane, has reportedly turned to a sports psychologist to cope with the aftermath of the intense World Cup 2026 match against Argentina.
Zidane faced heavy criticism following a series of costly mistakes that led to a 3-0 defeat for “Les Fennecs,” courtesy of a stunning Lionel Messi hat-trick. The errors sparked a massive wave of backlash from fans, with many claiming his spot in the team was solely due to being the son of football legend Zinedine Zidane.
According to a report by The Sun, Luca has struggled to deal with the immense pressure. He reportedly admitted to those close to him that he sought professional psychological support to process the events and move forward.
Petkovic Stands by His Goalkeeper
Despite the controversy, Algeria’s head coach, Vladimir Petkovic, has offered strong backing to his goalkeeper. Petkovic firmly stated that Luca Zidane will remain the primary choice for the “Desert Warriors” in the upcoming World Cup fixtures.
While Algerian media previously rumored that Petkovic intended to bench Luca in favor of Oussama Benbot, the Swiss manager completely dismissed these reports.
Injury Update ahead of Jordan Clash
In recent training sessions following the Argentina loss, Luca was spotted without his protective face mask. Reports suggest he might play the next matches without it, despite the potential risks to his ongoing injury.
Algeria is set to face Jordan on Tuesday morning, before wrapping up the group stage next week in a highly anticipated showdown against Austria.
