Vietnamese-born player to participate in World Cup

Midfielder Ibrahim Maza, who has Algerian and Vietnamese ancestry, helped the African team qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Ibrahim Maza and the Algerian national team have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

Maza has an Algerian father and a Vietnamese mother. Born and raised in Germany, he played for the country's youth teams. However, Maza ultimately chose the Algerian national team as his official destination for his international career.

The attacking midfielder, born in 2005, recently featured in Algeria's 3-0 victory over Somalia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the African region on the morning of October 10th. This win helped Algeria maintain their top position in Group G with 22 points, securing a direct ticket to the biggest football event on the planet.

Maza has been attracting attention in the transfer market recently. The talented player, who rose through the ranks at Hertha Berlin, has consistently been targeted by many European giants. In the summer of 2025, Bayer Leverkusen spent 12 million euros to sign Maza as a replacement for Florian Wirtz, who moved to Liverpool.

The 19-year-old midfielder has played 7 matches in all competitions, but has yet to score or provide an assist for his new club. However, joining Leverkusen is seen as a turning point for Maza's development. The Algerian coaching staff highly values ​​Maza and has a roadmap to help him become a key player in the near future.

Maza made his Bundesliga debut in May 2023, coming on as a substitute in the 65th minute of a match against Bayern in the 2022/23 season. Later, with a goal against Wolfsburg at just 17 years, 6 months, and 3 days old, Maza became the youngest player in Hertha's history to score in Germany's top league.

Maza's preferred position is "number 10". He possesses keen vision, skillful dribbling, and is always ready to deliver exquisite passes or highly accurate shots.

Source: https://znews.vn/cau-thu-goc-viet-du-world-cup-post1592499.html