Pundit Walid Acherchour slammed Kylian Mbappé for his “pathetic” ego, arguing that his Panenka celebration was a selfish attempt to be the “main character” while teammate Brahim Díaz was grieving Morocco’s AFCON elimination.
French pundit Walid Acherchour has launched a stinging critique of Kylian Mbappé following the striker’s controversial Panenka penalty against Villarreal.
Acherchour labeled the Frenchman’s behavior toward teammate Brahim Díaz as “PATHETIC,” arguing that the celebration was poorly timed and deeply insensitive.
The criticism stems from Mbappé allegedly gloating over the goal while Díaz was still mourning Morocco’s recent exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, a loss that had left the midfielder devastated.
Acherchour utilized several biting metaphors to illustrate the perceived betrayal of friendship, comparing the act to a friend buying a luxury car you couldn’t afford or dating an ex-partner just to boast.
He questioned the necessity of the gesture after Mbappé reportedly told Díaz, “this one’s for you,” following the 95th-minute strike.
Acherchour remarked, “Mbappé wants too much to be the main character in every movie! This isn’t your story, Kylian.”
The pundit concluded by dismissing the idea that such a display could ever console a teammate in professional mourning.
He argued that the ego-driven nature of the gesture likely worsened Díaz’s mood rather than offering any genuine comfort.
Challenging the forward’s awareness, Acherchour asked rhetorically, “Do you really think Brahim Díaz is going to go home and say, ‘Kylian made me forget everything with his gesture, he showed everyone how to score a Panenka’…?”