Luca Zidane has etched his name into Africa Cup of Nations history after becoming the first goalkeeper to keep clean sheets in each of his opening three matches at the tournament, an achievement sealed during Algeria’s dramatic extra-time victory over DR Congo in the last 16.
Installed as Algeria’s first-choice goalkeeper from the opening game of the competition, the 27-year-old has yet to concede a goal in the 2025 finals.
After shutting out Sudan and Burkina Faso in the group stage, he extended that remarkable sequence on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, when DR Congo were also held scoreless over 120 demanding minutes.
The contest against the Leopards tested Algeria’s resolve and patience.
For long stretches the match remained locked in a stalemate, with neither side able to find a decisive opening in normal time.
Algeria eventually broke the deadlock deep into extra time, when Adil Boulbina curled home the winning goal in the 119th minute to send the Fennecs through to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 triumph.
Throughout the exhausting encounter, Zidane was a constant presence at the back.
He dealt confidently with high balls into the area, showed composure in his clearances and offered a calming influence with his distribution whenever Algeria came under pressure.
By the final whistle, he had once again left the pitch unbeaten, registering his third clean sheet of the tournament.
That sequence of performances has now set a new benchmark.
No goalkeeper in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations had previously managed to avoid conceding in each of his first three appearances at the finals.
Zidane’s record therefore stands as an unprecedented feat for both player and country, underlining the solidity that has underpinned Algeria’s progress so far.
His form has also been symbolic of the Fennecs’ collective discipline at this year’s tournament.
Algeria have built their campaign on a solid defensive platform, conceding no goals across the group phase and carrying that resilience into the knockout rounds.
The ability to protect their goal has allowed them to remain patient in tight matches, safe in the knowledge that they can wait for opportunities to present themselves at the other end.
The significance of Zidane’s achievement is amplified by the pressure that comes with representing Algeria on the continental stage.
Starting every match since the beginning of the competition, he has been thrust straight into the most demanding environment of his international career, yet he has responded with consistency and calmness that belies his relatively limited experience at this level.
While Algeria required extra time to overcome DR Congo, there was never any sense of panic in their defensive ranks, with Zidane providing reassurance whenever danger loomed.
His ability to stay alert for the full two hours was crucial in ensuring that Boulbina’s late strike was enough to settle the contest.
As Algeria move into the quarter-finals, the spotlight will continue to fall on their goalkeeper, whose flawless start has already secured him a unique place in AFCON history.
With three clean sheets from his first three matches, Luca Zidane has not only set a new record, but has also become one of the defining figures of the tournament’s early knockout rounds.
