“I’m a multicultural kid with three different nationalities: Germany, Algeria and Vietnam,” Ibrahim Maza said earlier this year. By then, Julian Nagelsmann, along with 80 armchair coaches across Germany, had realized that a player like Mazza could be a useful asset to the men’s national football team.
However, it was too late. Maza was already connected to Algeria, the country his father left in his youth to make a new life in Germany.
Roots in Algeria, Vietnam and Berlin
Maza’s father Sofiane, who is from Algiers, visited his Vietnamese wife in Germany. Their son Ibrahim was born in Berlin in 2005.
His father introduced Ibrahim to his homeland through stories and regular visits to the home.
“I went there often with my father,” Ibrahim Maza told Bayer Leverkusen’s in-house video channel. workself tv.
“We basically spent every summer vacation going there and visiting family.”
From Reinickendorf to the Champions League
However, Mazza – known to everyone as “Ibo” – learned football in his hometown of Berlin. As a child, he joined Reinickendorfer Fuchse, a club famous for its youth development program. Many future professionals learned the game there, including Kevin-Prince Boateng and Thomas Hassler, a member of Germany’s 1990 World Cup-winning team.
At the age of 12, Mazza moved to Hertha Berlin, where he turned professional in 2023. After two seasons in the Bundesliga 2, he joined Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025, where he was given the opportunity to play in the Champions League.
By now he was already an Algerian international. Although he represented Germany at youth level, he chose to represent his father’s homeland rather than his country of birth at senior level.
He said, “I love all three countries and in the end, I made my decision for various reasons, which will remain private.”
Maza’s greatest strengths include his dribbling, pace, vision and work ethic. Like some other players, Maza has the ability to quickly cross one or more passes and move the play forward as soon as he receives the ball.
“He’s a top, top player,” said former Leverkusen coach Casper Hjulmand.
“But the truth is: he’s a top human being. You can make him work harder, because when you do, he says ‘thank you’ and works incredibly hard. Every day. He learns very fast. He’s just a fantastic player who has a great future.”
In his first Bundesliga season, Mazza was one of the standout performers at Leverkusen, establishing himself as a regular starter, something no one expected from the then 19-year-old player. In 28 Bundesliga appearances, he scored three goals and provided six assists. He made four appearances in the German Cup, scoring two goals, and scored 12 goals in the Champions League, where he remained scoreless.
Key role in Africa Cup of Nations
However, the highlight of last season for Maza was his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria.
“It was absolutely madness. When we got to the stadium two hours before kick-off, it was already packed with fans. It was so intense. It was the first time I got goosebumps,” he later recalled.
Despite being one of the youngest players in the team, Mazaa was one of the standout performers for the “Fenex”, who were eliminated by Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
“I came with the mentality of winning the tournament,” he said.
“So it was extremely bittersweet to be knocked out like that, and naturally, there are certain emotions that run through your mind at that time. I was a little angry and sad after the match. But that’s part of the game. You can also learn from mistakes, keep developing so that, hopefully, we can do better next time.”
That “next time” is now the World Cup. In Group J, Algeria will face defending world champions Argentina, Austria and World Cup newcomer Jordan. The North African team aims to make it to the knockout stage.
Maza has set at least one more goal for himself. “The strange thing is that we are playing against Argentina, against Lionel Messi, who I grew up watching,” he said in an interview with the DFL (German Football League).
“I’m going to try to get his jersey. Maybe he’ll actually see it. So: please, give me your jersey!” Maza said looking into the camera.
This article is taken from German language.