Lionel Messi’s surprise Ballon d’Or vote gives Ibrahim Maza a place in Kopa Trophy top 10

Lionel Messi was the only former Ballon d’Or winner to include Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ibrahim Maza among his three choices for the 2026 Kopa Trophy.

The Algeria international received a single point from Messi’s ballot, enough to place him ninth in the award’s final rankings. The result came as a surprise because Maza was not selected among the top three by any of the other voters.

The Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world’s best player under the age of 21, was won by Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London early last Tuesday.

Yamal topped the voting after collecting the most points in a process conducted by players who have previously won the Ballon d’Or. Messi, who has claimed the award eight times, was among those taking part.

According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Messi ranked Yamal first and Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi second. His third choice was Maza, whose inclusion provided the Algerian with his only point and lifted him into ninth place overall.

A meeting at the World Cup

Messi and Maza met around four months earlier during the opening round of the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0. Despite the heavy defeat, Maza produced an impressive display and created a goal for Fares Chaibi, although the effort was eventually ruled out for offside.

The midfielder joined Bayer Leverkusen for his first season with the club and made 44 appearances in all competitions. He scored five goals and provided seven assists during the campaign.

Maza’s Kopa Trophy nomination also marked a landmark moment for Algeria. He became the first Algerian player in history to be included among the 10 nominees for the award, which recognises the leading young player in world football.