Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ibrahim Maza says he was proud to discover that Lionel Messi had selected him among his three choices for the 2026 Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Argentina captain ranked the Algeria international third in his list, behind Barcelona pair Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, who had won the World Cup with Spain.
Maza finished ninth in the overall award, but Messi’s vote provided a significant personal boost for the 19-year-old, who has continued to attract attention during his progress with Bayer Leverkusen.
The midfielder said he was initially unaware of the full significance of the news because his focus was on Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga match against Stuttgart.
“I found out about it a short while ago, but I was concentrating more on the match,” Maza told Sky Sports.
“I wanted to put it out of my mind and wait until the game was over to find out whether the news was actually true.”
Maza said he later checked the reports and began receiving messages, although he tried not to allow the recognition to affect his concentration.
“I had a quick look at the end and, of course, I also received a call,” he added. “I tried not to let it distract me, but some messages started coming through. It is a great honour to receive this recognition and to be chosen by a player of Messi’s stature.”
Messi’s selection underlined the growing profile Maza has established in European football since emerging as one of Bayer Leverkusen’s most highly regarded young players.
His performances have placed him among the leading prospects on the continent and attracted interest from several major clubs. Paris Saint-Germain are among the teams reported to be monitoring the Algeria international.
Maza’s ninth-place finish in the Kopa Trophy voting came after Yamal and Cubarsi were placed ahead of him in Messi’s personal ranking. Despite not winning the award, the recognition from the Argentina captain offered further evidence of the regard in which the Bayer Leverkusen player is held.
