Leverkusen's Rising Star Names Ibrahim Maza As His Role Model

In a recent interview with the Opinionated Saint, Gabriel Minutillo has a clear example of what he wants his future at Bayer Leverkusen to look like.

The 16-year-old midfielder has identified Ibrahim Maza as his role model, with the two players sharing the same position and, potentially, a future together in Leverkusen's first team.

For Minutillo, Maza is not simply an established first-team player to admire from a distance. His development is a particularly relevant example of the pathway Die Werkself is trying to create for its young talents.

Maza arrived at Leverkusen from Hertha BSC in the summer of 2025 and quickly made his mark in senior football. The Algerian international became an important part of the squad during his first season, making his Champions League debut, establishing himself as one of the best Bundesliga players.

The 20-year-old's game also contains many of the qualities Minutillo clearly values in a No. 10. Maza combines close control and dribbling with the ability to find decisive passes, while his development has also included a greater emphasis on defensive work. In a recent interview, Maza explained that playing in deeper midfield positions alongside Aleix Garcia helped him become more consistent and improve his tackling and defensive contribution.

That makes Maza a particularly interesting reference point for Minutillo.

Minutillo has been with the club since the age of seven and currently represents the Under-19 side, playing three age groups above his own. In July, Leverkusen handed him a long-term contract, describing the German youth international as one of the most talented players in his age group in the country. The club also highlighted his rapid development during the previous season, when he made his first league appearances for the U19s.

Now, Minutillo wants to take the next step.

His ambition is significant given his age, but there is already a visible route for young players at Leverkusen to reach the senior squad.

Montrell Culbreath is perhaps the most recent example.

The attacking midfielder and winger progressed through the club's youth setup before breaking into the professional squad. He made 16 competitive appearances across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League during the 2025/26 season, prompting Leverkusen to extend his contract until 2031.

Culbreath's pathway is exactly what Minutillo wants to replicate.

There is also a slight twist to Minutillo's dream. He does not simply want to make it into the Die Werkself first team. He wants to do it alongside the player he currently studies most closely.

Maza has already become an example for younger players at the club, and his own rise has given the academy generation a tangible reference point. For Minutillo, the next few years will be about turning admiration into development, and development into an opportunity.

The first target is straightforward: make his professional debut.

The bigger dream is to eventually stand on the same pitch as Maza, this time not as the youngster watching his role model, but as his teammate.