Morocco midfielder Brahim Diaz has broken his silence following his missed late penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal, a moment that proved decisive in his team’s defeat.
The final, played on Sunday, was finely balanced and remained goalless deep into stoppage time when Morocco were awarded a penalty after a VAR review.
Diaz stepped up with a chance to give the hosts the lead, but his chipped effort was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The match later went into extra time, where Senegal found the breakthrough and went on to lift the AFCON trophy.
A day after the final, the 24-year-old addressed Moroccan supporters in an emotional message posted on X, accepting full responsibility for the miss and apologising to fans.
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“My soul hurts. 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.,” Diaz wrote.
Reflecting on the decisive moment, he added, “Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility. I apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
The Real Madrid attacking midfielder admitted that the disappointment would not be easy to overcome but insisted he would keep pushing forward.
“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,” he said.
He ended his message by promising to continue working until he can repay the faith shown in him and become “a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”
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