From hero to zero: Brahim Diaz breaks down in tears after nightmare Panenka penalty blows AFCON title

The defining moment of the AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal came in the 94th minute. After a VAR review, the referee pointed to the penalty spot, prompting Senegal players to walk off the pitch in protest and head down the tunnel.

Around 10 minutes later, Sadio Mane persuaded his teammates to return. Morocco were then handed a golden chance to win the final, but the penalty was missed. Senegal went on to score through Pape Gueye in extra time to claim the trophy.

Brahim Diaz was at the centre of the drama. He was the player fouled in the box and also stepped up to take the crucial penalty. However, the Real Madrid forward failed to deliver, attempting a Panenka that was comfortably saved by Edouard Mendy.

Diaz was later substituted during extra time and was seen in tears after the final whistle. Even when collecting the Golden Boot award, the 26-year-old appeared devastated, despite producing one of the standout individual performances of the tournament.

The AFCON had been a remarkable campaign for Diaz. He scored five goals to finish as the competition’s top scorer, ahead of high-profile names such as Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. He also became the first player in tournament history to score in five consecutive matches.

That achievement, however, was overshadowed by the missed penalty in the final. Morocco head coach Walid Regragui refused to criticise his player after the match.

“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 forward now.”

After the AFCON, Diaz will return to Real Madrid to work under new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa. Earlier this season, he struggled for minutes under Xabi Alonso, playing just 312 minutes in La Liga and spending much of the campaign on the bench. However, his performances at the AFCON could offer him a fresh opportunity to prove himself in Madrid.