ORAN, Algeria: French football legend Zinedine Zidane’s son Luca said on Wednesday he is “proud” to represent Algeria ahead of the north African country’s World Cup qualifier against Somalia.
Luca Zidane, 27, turned out for France’s youth team but has chosen to play for Algeria where his grandparents were born.
“I’m very happy to be here. It makes me proud and I will give everything at 100 percent to make the Algerian people proud,” the goalkeeper told a press conference in Oran.
Zidane junior, who plays for Spanish second tier side Granada, changed sporting nationality last month having never represented France at senior level.
He received his first call up for Algeria in a 26-man squad for the next two qualifiers.
“All my family are proud of me and back my choice, my grandfather is happy that I’m in Algeria and that I’ve made this decision,” he added.
His father, who was a World Cup winner for France in 1998, “had his journey, his career. As for me I have my journey, my career,” said Luca.
Algeria can become the fourth African team to qualify for next year’s World Cup if they beat Somalia, with Luca saying: “The first objective, it’s tomorrow, it’s Somalia and to win to qualify for the World Cup.”
Zidane’s son Luca ‘proud’ to play for Algeria
https://arab.news/65rg2
Zidane’s son Luca ‘proud’ to play for Algeria
- “It makes me proud and I will give everything at 100 percent to make the Algerian people proud,” the goalkeeper said
- He received his first call up for Algeria in a 26-man squad for the next two qualifiers
French FIFA World Cup winner Paul Pogba partners with Saudi camel racing team Al Haboob
- AS Monaco midfielder said joining Al Haboob felt like being invited into a new family, and saying yes was an easy decision
- Pogba: ‘I look for unique, exciting opportunities that challenge me and allow me to grow’
JEDDAH: French football icon and AS Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba signed on Wednesday a historic partnership with the world’s first professional camel racing team, Saudi-based Al Haboob, becoming their ambassador and shareholder.
Pogba’s involvement with Al Haboob, which was cofounded by entrepreneurs Omar Almaeena and Safwan Modir and competes across the Gulf Cooperation Council, brings unprecedented international attention to a sport long thriving under the regional spotlight.
The Frenchman said: “I am incredibly excited to be joining forces with Al Haboob. From the moment I spoke with Omar and Safwan, I felt their passion, their vision, and their genuine love for this sport.
“They are forward-thinking entrepreneurs who want to build something meaningful, and that energy is contagious — it’s something I picked up on from our very first meeting.
“Their ambition to elevate camel racing onto a global stage is something I truly connect with,” said Pogba, who added that joining Al Haboob felt like being invited into a new family, and saying yes was an easy decision.
Pogba is the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, UEFA Nations League champion, four-time Serie A champion with Juventus, and Europa League winner with Manchester United.
“I look for unique, exciting opportunities that challenge me and allow me to grow. Al Haboob represents exactly that: something fresh, something meaningful, and something exciting while staying true to who I am,” said Pogba.
Founded in Saudi Arabia, Al Haboob combines centuries-old heritage with elite performance, advanced veterinary care, and cinematic storytelling.
Almaeena and Modir, whose journey into the sport began in 2021 with the launch of RedSea Camel Co., also co-created and starred in the Netflix series “Camel Quest,” which highlighted camel culture across Saudi Arabia and followed their ambition to compete in major festivals.
Their long-term vision is to establish the world’s first professional Camel Racing League, elevating the sport to international standards while honoring its rich history.
“Paul’s involvement is transformational. This partnership is about more than racing; it is about sharing a heritage that deserves global recognition,” said Almaeena, an entrepreneur, actor, creative producer and endurance racing champion who represented Saudi Arabia in Compiegne, France, back in 2000.
Meanwhile, Modir, an entrepreneur and owner of multiple businesses in the camel sector, commented: “Al Haboob was never just a sporting idea; it is the embodiment of a national energy that believes the impossible can be achieved. This vision, this boldness, and this drive to break into new global frontiers are all inspired by the powerful leadership of our visionary guide and architect of our national transformation, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.”
