Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza speaks on his spectacular AFCON, working with famous teammates, and his cultural links to Algeria | OneFootball

Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza – one of the biggest Bundesliga AFCON 2025 stars – took a moment to answer questions about his nation’s run to the tournament quarterfinals this week. Maza and the Algerian national team will be squaring off against 2013 AFCON champions Nigeria on Saturday. Maza’s Algeria, who last took the AFCON crown in 2019, square off against another continental heavyweight. 

Maza conducted an interview for the Thursday print edition of Kicker. One of German football’s brightest young talentsis still only 20-years-of-age and never competed on Bundesliga level prior to this season. Maza, also a native German born in Berlin, represented Germany at youth level before switching to the Fennecs in 2024. He’s scored his first two goals for country during the current ongoing tournament.

Maza on his cultural connections with Algeria

“Watching [the Algeria] matches with my father was always a pleasure,” Maza told Kicker. “Everyone [here] treats me nice and has welcomed me. We [the team] mainly speak French, but my French isn’t so good since I left school. That’s why I mostly communicate in English and Arabic. 

“I spent almost every summer in Algeria when I was growing up,” Maza continued. “I grew up very Arab because of my father, so I was able to build a relationship with Algeria. Just as I have a connection to Germany and my mother’s homeland, Vietnam. I love all three countries.

“Fortunately, my mother is able to combine all cultures,” Maza concluded. “To take an example, she always cooked cuisine from all three countries. That was always so very nice.“

Maza on working with famous Algerian teammates

“Of course, one has the utmost respect for players like [Premier League legend Riyad Mahrez,” Maza said. “When you come here, you realize that he’s the captain and calls the shots. As a young player, you try to learn as much as possible from such experienced leaders.

“At first, it was a bit surreal when I saw him [Mahrez],” Maza continued. “I used to watch a few of his games on TV, and now suddenly I’m playing with him. I asked him for a match jersey, but he had promised it to someone else and put me off until next time.”

“[Current starting keeper and son of French footballing legend Luca Zidane] is a very lovely person.” Maza said of another famous teammate. “You can joke around with Luca a lot, talk to him easily. He’s great at football. We haven’t conceded a goal yet because he’s incredible on the line and has strong reflexes.“

On his incredible AFCON thus far

“I try to read as little as possible and block out the media,” Maza said of his rising star at the tournament. “If you take in all the positive stuff all the time and think, ‘Ah, okay, now I’m here, that’s great, and wow, I’m the best,’ that can be dangerous.

“When the talk turns negative, it can directly affect you mentally,” Maza continued. “And you think ‘Ah, okay, maybe I’m not so good after all.’ You might ask yourself, ‘Am I that bad, are we that bad? Can’t we deliver after all?“

GGFN | Peter Weis