Brahim Diaz has spoken out after missing a dramatic late penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations final that denied Morocco a chance to win the title, as speculation spread online that he had deliberately failed to score. The Real Madrid forward’s spot kick came deep into stoppage time after a VAR review ruled that West Ham defender El Hadji Malick Diouf had fouled Diaz in the box. The decision enraged Senegal’s players, and head coach Pape Thiaw led his team off the pitch in protest, causing a lengthy delay.
The penalty was eventually taken 24 minutes into injury time. Brahim Diaz, who finished the tournament as top scorer with five goals, stepped up under immense pressure with the hopes of an entire nation resting on his shoulders. He attempted a chipped effort down the middle, but Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy stood firm and caught the ball comfortably. The tame nature of the miss fueled claims on social media that Diaz had intentionally refused to score. Extra time followed, and Senegal went on to clinch their second AFCON title through a stunning goal by Pape Gueye, extending Morocco’s wait for continental glory since 1976.
On Monday afternoon, Brahim Diaz released an emotional statement to dismiss the rumours and take full responsibility for the miss. “My soul hurts,” the 26-year-old said. “I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you all gave me, every message, every show of support that made me feel I wasn’t alone. I fought with everything I had, with my heart above all else. Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility. I apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
“It will be hard for me to recover, because this wound doesn’t heal easily… but I will try. Not for myself, but for everyone who believed in me and for everyone who suffered with me. I will keep going forward until one day I can give you all this love back and become a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”
Senegal goalkeeper Mendy also rejected any suggestion that Diaz had missed on purpose, insisting the moment was too significant for such a claim to make sense. “No, of course not. We have to be serious,” he said. “Do you really think that one minute left and a country that has been waiting 50 years for a title, we can reach an agreement? He wanted to score and I deserve credit for stopping him – that’s all.”
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui acknowledged that the long delay before the penalty may have played a role in unsettling his player but urged everyone to move forward. “He had a lot of time before taking the penalty which must have disturbed him,” Regragui said. “But we can’t change what happened. That is how he chose to take the penalty. We need to look forwards now.”
