European-class Vietnamese diaspora star honored by Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen club congratulates Ibrahim Maza for securing a spot at the 2026 World Cup with the Algerian national team.

Through a post on their official Facebook page, Bayer Leverkusen extended congratulations to young player Ibrahim Maza for helping Algeria qualify for the 2026 World Cup: “Congratulations to Ibo Maza and the Algerian national team on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup!”

This marks a memorable milestone in the career of the midfielder of Vietnamese-Algerian descent, who is regarded as one of the most promising young talents in European football today.

In the 9th round of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Algeria achieved a convincing 3-0 victory over Somalia, securing their spot at the World Cup early. With 22 points from 9 matches, the North African team leads Group G by 4 points ahead of second-place Uganda, officially claiming the top position with one round remaining.

Born in 2005 to an Algerian father and a Vietnamese mother, Ibrahim Maza grew up in Germany, where he quickly showcased his outstanding talent in Hertha Berlin’s youth teams. The 20-year-old player has represented Germany’s youth squads but ultimately chose Algeria for his international career.

In October 2024, Maza was called up for the first time to the Algerian national team during the FIFA international window and made his debut against Togo in the CAN Cup qualifiers.

At club level, Ibrahim Maza is also attracting attention as the highest-valued Vietnamese diaspora player in history, valued at 12 million Euros by Transfermarkt. In summer 2025, he officially joined Bayer Leverkusen with a transfer fee of 14 million Euros. At the Bundesliga-leading club, Maza is expected to be the successor to Florian Wirtz, the 100-million-pound star who recently moved to Liverpool.

Maza’s impressive achievements and rapid development have made Vietnamese fans proud. Although he has never played for Vietnam’s national teams, having a player of Vietnamese heritage participate on football’s biggest stage, the World Cup, is a great inspiration for young footballers in the country.