Julian Nagelsmann Evaluates Ibrahim Maza’s Decision-Making

At just 19 years old, Ibrahim Maza has represented Germany at various youth levels, including U18 (8 appearances, 3 goals), U19 (3 appearances, 1 goal), and U20 (2 appearances). However, the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, who was signed this summer for €12 million, has chosen to play for Algeria. This decision was addressed by German coach Julian Nagelsmann.

“We will revisit this topic. He is a very good player, and we respect his decision. The important thing is the pride of representing your country. It has nothing to do with having players like Musiala or Wirtz in the national team. Being 9th or 16th in the national team requires a different mindset than in club football. One must still feel proud to play for their country. We often find many players capable of playing for multiple nations. However, I only wish to convince those who want to play for Germany. Otherwise, it makes no sense. We are an association representing the country in football. If Maza wants to play for Algeria and his heart tells him to do so, he should. I would never want to dissuade him. It’s unfortunate because he is a talented footballer. But the national team is much more than just football. It’s about heart, emotions, and everything that comes with it,” Nagelsmann stated in an interview with Bild.