Luca Zidane’s absence from the Algeria national team squad was not a tactical decision made by newly appointed head coach Brahim Hemdani, but rather the result of a disciplinary suspension that rules him out of the upcoming official fixtures.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) handed Zidane a two-match ban under its jurisdiction due to misconduct following Algeria’s quarter-final defeat against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations on January 10, 2026.
The suspension applies directly to the upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Zambia and Burundi, rendering the Leganés goalkeeper unavailable for the current training camp.
In his absence, Hemdani has called up three goalkeepers: Melvin Mastil, Abdelatif Ramdane, and Kylian Blancq. Mastil is expected to start against Zambia, though competition remains open with Ramdane.
This international window marks Brahim Hemdani’s debut at the helm of the national team following his appointment to succeed Vladimir Petković. “Les Fennecs” host Zambia on September 25, travel to face Burundi on September 29, and wrap up the break with a friendly against Niger on October 6.
Luca Zidane opted to represent Algeria after completing his FIFA nationality switch in September 2025. Since making his debut, he has earned 8 caps totaling 750 minutes, representing the country at both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
