In a devastating turn of events at the Africa Cup of Nations final, Moroccan sensation Brahim Díaz transformed from national hero to heartbroken villain within seconds. The Real Madrid attacker’s ill-fated decision to attempt a chipped ‘Panenka’ penalty in the 114th minute ultimately cost his nation their first AFCON title in half a century.
The dramatic finale unfolded amid extraordinary circumstances during added time. With the score deadlocked at 0-0 in the 98th minute, DR Congo referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty after VAR review showed Senegal’s El Hadji Malick Diouf dragging Díaz down by his neck. What followed was unprecedented chaos as incensed Senegal players, already angered by a disallowed goal minutes earlier, attempted to leave the pitch in protest.
Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane remained on the field, desperately trying to persuade his teammates to continue. The resulting 17-minute delay created unbearable psychological pressure on the 24-year-old Díaz, who had been the tournament’s standout performer with five crucial goals.
When the moment finally arrived, Díaz’s attempted chip proved disastrously misjudged. Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who had previously confronted the Moroccan player during the delay, stood his ground and caught the feeble attempt with embarrassing ease. The miss proved catastrophic when Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal just four minutes into extra time.
Morocco manager Walid Regragui acknowledged the psychological toll of the extended delay, stating: ‘He had a lot of time before taking the penalty which must have disturbed him. But we can’t change what happened. That is how he chose to take the penalty.’
The defeat marks a particularly cruel chapter in Panenka history. The technique, pioneered by Czechoslovakian midfielder Antonin Panenka in the 1976 European Championship final, has been successfully executed by legends including Zinedine Zidane, Andrea Pirlo, and Lionel Messi. However, as Díaz joins Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling on the list of failed Panenka attempts, the high-risk strategy’s catastrophic potential was once again exposed on football’s biggest stage.