The 1990s Reality and the Abdelhamid Kermali Controversy
When Zidane’s career began its rapid ascent in the early 1990s, a persistent narrative took root in Algerian football circles: that the national team had somehow let a generational talent slip away. Critics frequently pointed the finger at Abdelhamid Kermali, the manager who led Algeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1990, accusing him of failing to spot the young midfielder from Aguemoune, a village in the heights of Béjaïa.
Yet, historical context paints a different picture. According to accounts from Kermali’s family and football insiders, the legendary coach never actually scouted or rejected a young Zidane, and no formal contact ever occurred between the Algerian Football Federation and the player during that era. Instead, the 1990s marked a profoundly unstable period for Algeria, which was gripped by civil conflict, severe economic crisis, and political turmoil. During those years, dual-national players routinely declined call-ups to the national selection, favoring European opportunities while the Algerian federation struggled with persistent logistical issues, including delayed player bonuses.
Political Entanglements and State Honors
Despite playing his international football for France, Zidane maintained a powerful symbolic status in Algeria, where fans celebrated his roots. That complicated affection shifted into the political arena following the 2006 FIFA World Cup final in Berlin, where Zidane received a red card for his famous headbutt against Italy defender Marco Materazzi. Then-Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika publicly praised the midfielder as “a man of honor,” writing that he understood Zidane’s reaction to what local media and rumors suggested was a severe provocation.
Later that year, on December 13, 2006, Bouteflika invited Zidane to the El-Mouradia presidential palace in Algiers, where the player was awarded the Medal of El-Athir, the highest distinction of the Algerian state, equivalent to France’s Legion of Honour. While the state praised his exceptional notoriety and his philanthropic work—such as hospital equipment donations made through his foundation and a mosque built in Kabylie by his father, Smaïl—the official reception drew sharp criticism from political opposition figures.
Saïd Sadi, then-president of the opposition Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), publicly criticized the visit, arguing that the state was attempting to co-opt Zidane’s cultural capital for political purposes. Nonetheless, public affection largely endured, reinforced by charitable efforts that sports journalist Lakhdar Berriche noted were often kept deliberately quiet.
Recent Chapters and Family Ties
The emotional bond between Zidane and Algeria found new expression through his family, notably when his son Luca committed to the Algerian national team. Public sentiment surged further when the French legend attended Africa Cup of Nations fixtures and followed the national team’s matches closely.
Yet tensions with certain segments of Algerian public life resurfaced recently. Upon taking over the France national team coaching role, Zidane expressed support for journalist Christophe Gleizes, prompting criticism from some commentators in state-aligned media. Pundit Hafid Derradji argued that high-profile figures must maintain strict neutrality on political matters, illustrating that even decades after his emergence as a global star, Zinédine Zidane’s connection to the land of his parents remains as tumultuous as it is enduring.
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