Luis Enrique and Mbappe have rallied behind Brahim Diaz over penalty miss
Several football stars and coaches have rallied behind Real Madrid forward Brahim Díaz following his penalty miss in Morocco’s defeat to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
During the game, the host nation were awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of added time when Brahim Díaz was brought down in the box by a Senegalese defender.
Díaz missed the penalty, as his Panenka attempt was easily saved by Édouard Mendy, sending the game into extra time.
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In the early stages of the first half of extra time, Pape Gueye struck a powerful shot into the top corner from the edge of the box to secure victory for the Teranga Lions.
After the game, Díaz was subjected to online abuse as some aggrieved Moroccan supporters stormed his social media pages to hurl insults and accuse him of missing the penalty on purpose.
However, some coaches and players have jumped to his defense while urging him to stay strong in such trying moments.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
The French attacker indicated that he has not yet spoken directly to his teammate but encouraged him to remain strong.
“Brahim? I sent him a text. I haven’t spoken to him yet, I think he’s sad. It’s tough, I understand how he must be feeling right now… I’ve been through this before as well,” he said.
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain coach)
The Spanish coach advised Díaz not to pay attention to criticisms and to stay focused on his career, stressing that there was no malice in his attempt.
“Regarding Brahim Díaz’s Panenka… we talked about it on the bus today. I remember Zinedine Zidane, a god of football, who did it in a World Cup. When it works, everyone applauds. When you miss, there’s a lot of criticisms. Brahim Díaz, I know him: he’s a magnificent, exceptional player. What’s happening right now is very unfair. It’s only sport, he’s not a killer or a bad person.”
Hervé Renard (Saudi Arabia coach)
The former coach of Morocco at the 2018 World Cup criticised the manner in which the penalty was taken, calling it disrespectful to the nation’s long wait for success.
“The Brahim Díaz Panenka penalty? You have the right to miss a penalty, but in such a case, I am categorical that I have no sympathy. It’s a lack of respect for an entire country and an entire people seeking success for 50 years,” he said.
SB/JE
Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians celebrate Senegal’s AFCON triumph
