A once-in-a-century overseas Vietnamese shines brilliantly in the Champions League

Ibrahim Maza, the highest-valued player of Vietnamese descent ever, stood out brilliantly in Leverkusen's win and earned a spot in UEFA's Champions League team of the week.

The young Vietnamese star Ibrahim Maza is becoming the focus of European football after his brilliant performance helped Bayer Leverkusen defeat Benfica 1-0 in the Champions League group stage. At 19 years old, Maza not only played a key role in the German team's victory but was also selected by UEFA for the matchday best XI and awarded "Man of the Match".

In the intense match at Louve stadium, coach Kasper Hjulmand positioned Maza in a deeper role than usual, and he did not disappoint the fans. Wearing number 30, the midfielder demonstrated excellent tempo control, smart game reading, and calm ball handling like a seasoned star. Statistics show Maza completed 34 passes with 91% accuracy, created 1 goal chance, and achieved a 100% successful dribble rate — an impressive figure for a teenager playing in Europe's toughest competition.

Experts describe Maza as the "control machine" orchestrating Leverkusen’s play by always appearing at the right moments in key areas. UEFA praised this Vietnamese-origin player for "performing beyond his 19 years" and deemed him the standout figure of the match. After the game, Maza emotionally shared: "Every kid dreams of playing in the Champions League. Today, that dream came true."

Not only impressing in Europe, Maza's form has caught the special attention of Algeria’s coach Vladimir Petkovic. According to North African media, the Vietnamese-Algerian dual-nationality player has been included in the extended squad for the November training camp in Saudi Arabia, where Algeria will face Zimbabwe and the host nation. If no changes occur, Maza is likely to be officially called up.

With his modern style, skillful technique, and sharp tactical awareness, Ibrahim Maza is proving to be a shining gem of European football and a new pride for the overseas Vietnamese community.

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