Mazadona: how did Algeria's star put his name on the Ballon d'Or list?

They call him "Mazadona" back in Algeria, a nod to the great Diego Maradona. Ibrahim Maza, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder at Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, has just landed his first Ballon d'Or nomination in the young talent of the year category.

French magazine "France Football" named Maza among 10 nominees for the award, alongside Manchester City's new star, Moroccan international Ayoub Bouaddi.

According to a report by the official Ballon d'Or website, Maza was born in Berlin on 24 November 2005. His Algerian father works as a doctor, his Vietnamese mother as a nursery director, and the pair met while studying in Cologne.

His career started at the Reinickendorfer Füchse academy. In 2018, aged 12, he moved to Hertha Berlin and joined a school for young athletes.

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The days were relentless. Maza trained from eight to ten in the morning, returned from half past five until eight in the evening, and his father would pile on extra sessions after any match where the boy underwhelmed.

"From eight in the morning until eight in the evening there is no time for messing about, and at the end of the day you are exhausted," the Algerian star said of that period. He reckons the routine gave him calmness and discipline.

Seven seasons followed at Hertha Berlin. Maza broke into the first team in 2023, aged 17, and went on to score 9 goals in 51 matches.

Rising to the world stage

A move to Bayer Leverkusen arrived in 2025, and up to September 2026 he had scored 5 goals in 45 matches. One moment stands out: his assist for Patrik Schick in the 2-0 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League.

Leverkusen turned down an offer from Atletico Madrid for Maza last summer. His coach Kasper Hjulmand hailed his potential: "An exceptional player and a brilliant future. An exceptional person who is asked to do a lot, so he replies: thank you, then works every day and learns quickly."

Sporting director Simon Rolfes echoed the praise, pointing to Maza's constant desire to develop and improve.

Born and raised in Germany alongside his two brothers, Maza never let go of his parents' roots. He spent summers in the suburbs of Algeria and winters in Vietnam. German comes first, but he speaks Vietnamese with his mother and Arabic with his father.

Changing sporting nationality

Between 2022 and 2024, Maza turned out for Germany at youth level. He then switched his sporting nationality at the end of 2024 to represent Algeria.

He has played 21 matches for the Algeria national team, scoring twice, both at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Playing alongside compatriot Riyad Mahrez was Maza's childhood dream. "I used to watch him on television, and dream of playing with him," he said of the former Manchester City star. That dream has since come true.

The 2026 World Cup came next, with Maza featuring in 4 matches. "Just taking part is an unforgettable experience," he said.

Since the talent of the season nomination, Maza has clung to the values his parents drummed into him. "Sometimes the limelight is useful and motivating, but I deal with it with both feet on the ground," he explained.

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