Kopa Trophy: Lionel Messi votes for Algerian talent Ibrahim Maza

At just 20 years old, Algerian midfielder Ibrahim Maza is gaining significant recognition after being selected among the ten contenders for the Kopa Trophy. While Ousmane Dembélé praised him as a future Ballon d'Or winner, he did not cast his vote for Maza, opting instead for Yamal, Cubarsí, and Zaïre-Emery. Similarly, other former Ballon d'Or winners like Karim Benzema and Luka Modric chose different players, while figures such as Zidane and Ronaldo abstained from the process. Nevertheless, Maza secured a notable vote from Lionel Messi, who ranked him third. This support helped the Algerian player finish 9th in the final standings, ahead of Johan Manzambi.