Algeria announce squad for AFCON 2025; Riyad Mahrez included

The Desert Warriors will face Sudan in the opening game.

While the injured Alexis Guendouz was left out of the squad, Algeria’s goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of French World Cup champion Zinedine Zidane, appears certain of making an appearance at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Zidane was next in line after Guendouz, who injured his knee on Monday in the Algerian league. However, after that untimely injury, the latter was left off the 28-man roster for the tournament in neighbouring Morocco.

After playing for France at the juvenile level, the 27-year-old second son of Zinedine Zidane, who now plays for Granada, a Spanish second-tier team, made his World Cup qualifying debut for Algeria in October.

For the finals in Morocco, where Algeria will play in Group E against Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan, Zidane is anticipated to be ahead of Oussama Benbot and the previous first-choice keeper, Anthony Mandrea. If you are wondering how Luca is part of this national team, Zidane’s grandparents are from the Kabylie region of Algeria.

Baghdad Bounedjah, a striker for Algeria, scored the game-winning goal against Senegal in the 2019 Cup of Nations final in Cairo. He is in the team.

Amine Gouiri, an attacker for Olympique de Marseille, is a noticeable absence. He required shoulder surgery following the World Cup qualifying match against Uganda in October and will be unable to play again until February.

He was also unable to compete in the most recent Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast two years ago due to an injury.

Also read: Senegal announce squad for AFCON 2025; Sadio Mane called up

Algeria announce squad for AFCON 2025

Goalkeepers: Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Luca Zidane (Granada), Anthony Mandrea (Caen)

Defenders: Ryan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City), Youcef Atal (Al Sadd), Zineddine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Rafik Belghani (Hellas Verona), Ramy ⁠Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund), Samir Chergui (Paris FC), Mehdi Dorval (Bari), Jaouen Hadjam (Young ‌Boys Berne), Aissa Mandi (Lille), Mohamed Amine Tougai (Esperance)

Midfielders: Houssem Aouar (Al Ittihad), Ismael Bennacer (Dinamo Zagreb), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente), Adem Zorgane (Union Saint-Gilloise)

Forwards: Mohamed Amoura (Werder Bremen), Monsef Bakrar (Dinamo Zagreb), Redouane Berkane (Al Wakrah), Adil Boulbina (Al ⁠Duhail), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al Shamal), Anis Hadj-Moussa (Feyenoord), Ilan Kebbal (Paris FC), ​Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli)

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.