Zinedine Zidane rejects long-standing Algeria call-up story

For years, one of football’s most enduring stories suggested Zinedine Zidane had the opportunity to represent Algeria before embarking on his legendary international career with France.

The former midfielder has now firmly rejected that claim, insisting he was never approached by the Algerian Football Federation or the country’s national team.

Zidane, who was born in France to parents from the Kabylie region of Algeria, has long been linked to the story that he could have played for the Algerian national side during the early stages of his career.

The rumour has been repeated for decades and became one of the most widely discussed “what if” stories involving the former France captain.

According to the long-circulated account, Zidane was an 18-year-old prospect at AS Cannes when his name was reportedly presented to the Algerian national team.

The story claimed that then-head coach Abdelhamid Kermali watched the young midfielder before deciding against selecting him, allegedly describing him as “too slow” or “too heavy”.

The claim has now been challenged by Algerian journalist Lakhdar Berriche, who previously worked with BeIN Sports and now presents programmes on Sport Plus.

Berriche explained that he personally asked Zidane about the rumour several years later while the Frenchman was playing for Real Madrid.

According to the journalist, Zidane gave a clear and unequivocal response, stating that neither the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) nor any coach connected with the national team had ever made contact with him during his youth.

His response effectively dismissed the long-standing narrative, confirming there had been no approach from Algeria and, consequently, no decision to reject an opportunity to represent the country.

The former Juventus and Real Madrid midfielder’s account also aligns with the regulations that governed international eligibility during that period.

At the time in question, Zidane had already established himself within France’s youth national team structure. Under FIFA’s rules in force during the early 1990s, players who had represented a country at youth level were tied to that nation and were not permitted to switch their sporting nationality.

That regulation remained in place for years before FIFA introduced changes in 2009. The amendment, commonly referred to as the “Bahamas rule”, later allowed certain dual-nationality players greater flexibility to change international allegiance after representing another country at youth level, provided they met the governing body’s eligibility requirements.

Those revised regulations were not in effect during Zidane’s formative years, meaning he would not have been eligible to represent Algeria once he had become part of France’s youth setup.

Taken together, Zidane’s own account and the FIFA regulations that applied at the time undermine a story that has circulated within football circles for decades.

His comments leave little room for uncertainty, with the French football icon making it clear that there was never any contact from Algeria and, therefore, no opportunity for him to choose between the two nations.