Ibrahim Maza #22

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Aged just 20, Maza is clearly going places. A fine attacking talent, he excels at drifting into pockets of space, receiving the ball on the half-turn. His low centre of gravity and powerful lower body allow him to ride challenges and show off the technical quality that sets him apart, with incisive passes and fearless dribbles. Since arriving at Bayer Leverkusen he has drawn plenty of comparisons to Florian Wirtz. Not that he is pleased about it. “I don’t like being compared like that,” Maza told the club’s website. “He became the most expensive signing in the Premier League, and I hope I can be at his level someday, but I’m not there yet.” Born in Berlin, he played for Germany up to Under-20 level before declaring for Algeria last year. It was a calculated decision. “It’s purely for sporting reasons, because it aligns better with my footballing future,” he said. “In the German national team, the competition for my position is extremely fierce, so it's tough to break into the starting eleven or find space in that squad. From a sporting perspective, representing Algeria gives me a greater chance to play in the World Cup and compete at the highest level. That's why I made this decision with full confidence."

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