Speculation has mounted that Real Madrid attacker Brahim Díaz may have deliberately missed a decisive stoppage-time penalty for Morocco during the AFCON final as a gesture of “fair play” following chaotic protests from the Senegal team.
The global football community is embroiled in a heated debate following Morocco’s dramatic AFCON final loss to Senegal, with widespread speculation suggesting that Real Madrid star Brahim Díaz may have intentionally sabotaged a last-gasp penalty.
After a controversial spot-kick was awarded to Morocco deep into stoppage time, the match descended into turmoil as Senegal’s players briefly left the pitch in protest, an act that followed their own disallowed goal minutes earlier.
Once order was restored and play resumed, Díaz opted for an audacious ‘Panenka’ dink that drifted straight into the arms of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, sparking rumors that the miss was a calculated act of sportsmanship designed to quell the volatile atmosphere.
The theory gained traction among observers and journalists in the press box, with Maher Mezahi noting on social media, “All of the journalists here in the press box are asking each other if Brahim Diaz missed the penalty on purpose?
Perhaps that’s why Senegal agreed to play on?” While the claims remain unsubstantiated and critics argue the miss was simply a high-pressure error, the “fair play” narrative continues to overshadow the match’s conclusion, which saw Senegal eventually secure the title with a solitary goal in extra-time.