Brahim Diaz releases emotional statement after Panenka penalty backfires in AFCON final | Football

Brahim Diaz has apologised for his penalty miss within the Africa Cup of Nations final and vowed to ‘repay all of the love’ he has received following Morocco’s 1-0 defeat to Senegal.

There have been dramatic scenes as referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco, the host nation, a spot-kick deep into stoppage time in Sunday’s chaotic final at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. 

But Senegal’s players, already frustrated having seen an Ismaila Sarr goal disallowed earlier in the competition, were hauled off the pitch in protest by their manager Pepe Thiaw.

Violent clashes broke out within the stands between Senegalese supporters and Moroccan security personnel during a 17-minute delay in play, before Thiaw’s men eventually returned from the tunnel again under the orders of Sadio Mane.

The extraordinary pressure of the moment was written throughout Brahim’s face because the Real Madrid attacker stepped as much as take the penalty, with the entire of Morocco holding its collective breath.

But Brahim’s attempted Panenka was comfortably held by a rooted Edouard Mendy and Pape Gueye would go on to win the sport for Senegal with a thunderous effort within the fourth minute of extra-time.

Boos were heard contained in the stadium as a teary Brahim went up to gather the Golden Boot award from FIFA president Gianni Infantino after ending the tournament with a tally of 5 goals for the Atlas Lions.

‘My heart aches. I dreamed of this title because of all of the love you’ve given me, every message, every show of support that made me feel I wasn’t alone,’ Brahim told his followers on X this afternoon.

‘I fought with every part I had, with my heart above all else.

‘Yesterday I failed, and I take full responsibility and apologise from the underside of my heart.

‘It’s going to be hard to get well because this wound doesn’t heal easily, but I’ll try.

‘Not for myself, but for everybody who believed in me and for everybody who suffered with me.

‘I’ll keep going until someday I can repay all this love and be a source of pride for my Moroccan people.’

At his post-match press conference, Morocco manager Walid Regragui suggested Brahim had been ‘disturbed’ by the long delay in play before his failed penalty.

‘He had a whole lot of time before taking the penalty which will need to have disturbed him,’ Regragui told reporters.

‘But we will’t change what happened. That’s how he selected to take the penalty. We want to look forwards now.’

There have been some suggestions that Brahim may even have missed his penalty on purpose after Senegal’s protest, with Channel 4 commentator Paul Walker saying live to tell the tale air: ‘There can be just a few considering this, I’m gonna say it.

‘Did he miss it on purpose? Could he have missed it… is there any way that he could have missed that on purpose?’

Nonetheless, Mendy, the previous Chelsea shot-stopper, vehemently dismissed these claims, insisting he ‘deserved credit’ for denying Brahim from 12 yards.

‘No, after all not. We have now to be serious,’ Mendy said.

‘Do you actually think that with one minute left and a rustic that has been waiting 50 years for a title, we will reach an agreement?

‘He desired to rating and I deserve credit for stopping him, that’s all.’

Asked what he and Brahim had spoken about after the penalty miss, Mendy replied: ‘That’s between us.

‘We did it together and we got here back together, that’s all that matters. We may be proud tonight.’

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