Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz has issued a heartfelt public apology after his dramatic late penalty miss proved decisive in Morocco's 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Chaotic Finale in Rabat
The match, held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, descended into chaos deep into stoppage time. With the score locked at 0-0, referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded the host nation a penalty, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Senegal's players, already angered by an earlier disallowed goal from Ismaila Sarr, were led off the pitch in protest by their manager, Pepe Thiaw. This triggered violent clashes in the stands between Senegalese supporters and Moroccan security personnel, causing a 17-minute delay before the match could resume.
The Fateful Panenka
With the weight of a nation on his shoulders, Brahim Diaz stepped up to take the spot-kick. Opting for a high-risk Panenka chip, his effort lacked conviction and was comfortably caught by Senegal's stationary goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy.
The miss proved catastrophic for Morocco. Just four minutes into extra-time, Senegal's Pape Gueye smashed home a thunderous winner to secure the trophy, sparking wild celebrations from the visitors.
An Emotional Apology
A visibly emotional Diaz, who had finished as the tournament's top scorer with five goals, was booed by some sections of the crowd as he collected the Golden Boot from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Taking to social media platform X on the afternoon of January 19, 2026, the 26-year-old released a poignant statement in Spanish.
"My heart aches," Diaz wrote. "I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you've given 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."
He accepted full responsibility for the miss, stating: "Yesterday I failed, and I take full responsibility and apologise from the bottom of my heart."
Diaz acknowledged the difficulty of moving on from such a painful moment but vowed to persevere. "It will be hard 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," he continued.
The forward concluded with a promise to his adopted nation: "I will keep going until one day I can repay all this love and be a source of pride for my Moroccan people."
The defeat marks a bitter end to Morocco's campaign as tournament hosts, with Diaz's missed Panenka destined to be a defining moment of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations.
