Hemdani Overlooks Luca Zidane Again Despite Ramdane's Withdrawal from Algeria Squad

Luca Zidane continues to struggle to find his way back into the Algeria squad. After a spot opened up in the Fennecs group following Abdelatif Ramdane’s withdrawal, manager Brahim Hemdani opted to call up Rayane Yesli, 27, goalkeeper for Olympique Akbou, for his first senior call-up. The 28-year-old goalkeeper, son of Zinédine Zidane, remains sidelined for this second gathering dedicated to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Ramdane’s withdrawal came under tragic circumstances: the Algerian Football Federation announced on Sunday the death of the father of MC Alger goalkeeper, 25, who was introduced to the national team last month in a friendly match against Niger (2-1). Excused from the gathering to be with his family, he left a vacant spot that Luca Zidane failed to secure.

Hemdani had nonetheless justified his selection criteria unambiguously in a press conference. “I needed to have a choice between three goalkeepers who had maximum playing time. The three selected have maximum playing time since the last gathering, and that’s the only reason I decided in favour of these three goalkeepers,” he said.

The problem is that Luca Zidane had indeed regained playing time at Leganés. After two matches on the bench, he played on Saturday in his club’s defeat to Albacete (1-3), bringing his total to ten appearances this season. A return to the goal that was not enough to sway the manager’s position.

This latest omission comes after a two-match suspension handed down by the CAF, followed by a first non-call-up during Hemdani’s inaugural gathering. The goalkeeper’s trajectory in the national team now raises questions about his place in the Algerian coaching staff’s medium-term project.