A weighty nickname

In Algeria, Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Ibrahim Maza is sometimes called “Mazadona”, a reference to the legendary Argentine Diego Maradona, winner of the 1986 World Cup and, for many, one of the greatest players in the history of football.

Maza is just 20 years old.

So how can such a grand comparison be made about such a young player?

Well… although Maza still has a long career ahead of him, he has already shown enormous potential in recent years and is establishing himself as one of the great talents of the new generation.

A childhood devoted to football

Maza was born in Berlin, the capital of Germany, on 24 November 2005. His father, a doctor who had emigrated from Algeria, met his mother – a nursery manager of Vietnamese descent – whilst they were both studying at university in Cologne.

As a child, Maza began playing football at the Reinickendorfer Füchse academy. In 2018, aged 12, he moved to the Hertha BSC youth academy. It was also around this time that he started attending a school specifically designed for young athletes.

His parents soon recognised their son’s talent and began to encourage him to devote himself fully to football. During the week, Maza trained from 8 am to 10 am before going to school. After lessons, he would return to training from 5.30 pm to 8 pm. At the end of the day, his father would pick him up and take him home.

And it didn’t stop there. Whenever Maza had a below-par performance in a match, his father would put him through extra training sessions.

Maza himself believes that this intense routine played a key role in shaping the player he is today – someone mature for his age and with a level of discipline unusual for a 20-year-old: “The training programme has brought a lot of calm and discipline to my life. When your routine runs from eight in the morning to eight in the evening, there’s no time left to mess about and, at the end of the day, you’re simply exhausted.” (Bayer 04)

Maza spent the next seven seasons at Hertha, the club where he made his professional debut in 2023, aged 17.

In total, he scored nine goals in 51 appearances for the first team.

From Hertha to stardom at Leverkusen

In 2025, Maza moved to Bayer Leverkusen and quickly made a name for himself in his first season at the club. By September 2026, he had already scored five goals in 45 appearances for the side.

“He is an exceptional player with a bright future ahead of him.” – Kasper Hjulmand

One of his most memorable performances came in the Champions League, when Leverkusen stunned Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City with a 2–0 win at the Etihad Stadium. Maza provided the assist for the second goal, scored by Patrik Schick, and has since regarded that match as his favourite moment for the German club.

When Atlético Madrid tried to sign him in 2026, Leverkusen made it clear that the youngster was not for sale.

Strong and committed in midfield, yet also creative and unpredictable, Maza quickly caught the eye at Leverkusen. Sporting director Simon Rolfes highlighted his immense desire to learn and constantly improve, whilst then-manager Kasper Hjulmand was also full of praise: “He is a player of the very highest calibre. But, above all, he is an exceptional person. You can demand a lot from him and, when you do, the response is always: ‘Thank you’. Then he goes out there and works hard. Every single day. He learns very quickly. He is quite simply an exceptional player, with a brilliant future ahead of him.” (DW)

Perhaps this eagerness to learn stems from his upbringing, as Maza was born into a family of academics.

Caught between two cultures, a choice for Algeria

Although he and his two brothers were born and raised in Germany, all three have always maintained a strong connection to their parents’ origins. Every summer, Maza would visit his father’s family on the outskirts of Algiers, the capital of Algeria, whilst winters were often spent with his mother’s family in Vietnam.

His mother tongue was German, but he was also exposed to his parents’ languages. He would speak Vietnamese with his mother on occasion, whilst Arabic was part of his daily routine with his father.

When it came to choosing which national team to represent, therefore, Maza had more than one option.

Between 2022 and 2024, he played for Germany’s youth teams. At the end of 2024, however, he decided to change his sporting nationality and began representing his father’s country of origin: Algeria.

Since then, Maza has played 21 matches and scored two goals for the national team.

His roots and the dream of playing for Algeria

Although he has chosen not to reveal the reasons behind his decision, part of it is certainly linked to the strong memories of his childhood and teenage years, when he used to follow and support the Algerian national team.

“When I was younger, I used to dream of one day playing alongside Riyad Mahrez.” – Ibrahim Maza

One of his greatest football idols is a former nominee for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ and one of the biggest names in Algeria’s history on the world football stage, Riyad Mahrez: “When I was younger, I used to watch Riyad Mahrez on television and dream of one day playing alongside him.” (FIFA)

That dream eventually came true. Since joining the Algerian national team, Maza has had the opportunity to play alongside the 2019 AFCON champion.

Another special memory from his childhood is linked to a historic moment for Algeria: the match against Germany in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup. Maza was just nine years old and was impressed by the Algerians’ performance against the side that would go on to win the tournament: “It was an incredible match. We played with all our hearts, and even though we lost, it was a historic moment for Algeria. I remember every save Rais M’Bolhi made that day. It was inspiring and made me believe that I too could play at the highest level one day. That was when I realised what it meant to be Algerian and to defend my country’s colours.” (FIFA)

Maza’s two goals for the national team to date were scored during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, when Algeria reached the quarter-finals.

The team didn’t manage to go quite as far at the 2026 World Cup, but, still only 20, Maza cherishes the experience of competing in the tournament: “The World Cup is the biggest tournament in the world. Just being able to take part and play four matches was incredible in itself. It’s the sort of experience you never forget.” (BILD)

The future lies ahead

Now, “Mazadona” has just received his first nomination for the Young Male Talent of the Season award by Ballon d'Or. Even with all the attention he’s been receiving, he tries to follow a lesson he learnt from his parents at an early age: to keep a clear head and his feet on the ground: “Sometimes it’s good to be in the spotlight for a while. It’s motivating, of course. Some people might not cope with it so well and end up losing touch with reality. I try to take this appreciation in the right way, without jumping to conclusions. I just want to get on with my job with my feet firmly on the ground.” (BILD)

Maza doesn’t let comparisons and tributes make him lose touch with reality. But neither does he want to take it all so seriously that he forgets what matters most to him: playing football and, above all, having fun.

How does he manage it?

How does he cope with such high expectations whilst maintaining such a high standard of performance for his club and the national team, even at such a young age?

In a way, the answer remains a mystery.

For Maza, however, it all seems much simpler: “I don’t feel any pressure. I’m just excited about the matches.” (Bayer 04)