Luca Zidane Starts the Austria Match from the Bench

Vladimir Petković, the head coach of the Algerian national team, decided to keep goalkeeper Luca Zidane on the bench in the crucial match against the Austrian national team, in the final round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

The decision comes after Petkovic relied on Osama Ben Bout in the starting lineup for a match that cannot be split, where the "Greens" need to achieve a positive result to secure a ticket to the Round of 32.

Luca Zidane had started in Algeria's previous two matches in the tournament, but the coaching staff preferred to make a change in the goalkeeper position before the decisive match against Austria.

One of the biggest surprises in the Algerian lineup is the decision to keep Luca Zidane on the bench, especially since he has been a starter since the beginning of the tournament. The coaching staff is betting on the experience of Oussama Benbot in this crucial match, while keeping Zidane ready as an option should the course of the game require his involvement.