Brahim Diaz has apologised for his penalty miss in the Africa Cup of Nations final and vowed to ‘repay all the love’ he has received following Morocco’s 1-0 defeat to Senegal.
There were dramatic scenes as referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco, the host nation, a spot-kick deep into stoppage time in Sunday’s chaotic final at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
But Senegal’s players, already frustrated having seen an Ismaila Sarr goal disallowed earlier in the contest, were hauled off the pitch in protest by their manager Pepe Thiaw.
Thiaw’s men eventually returned from the tunnel again after a 17-minute delay, with violent clashes breaking out in the stands between Senegalese supporters and Moroccan security personnel.
The whole of Morocco held its breath as Brahim stepped up to take the penalty and the intense pressure of the moment was written all over the face of the Real Madrid attacker.
But Brahim’s attempted Panenka was comfortably held by a rooted Edouard Mendy and Pape Gueye would go on to win the game for Senegal with a thunderous effort in the fourth minute of extra-time.
Boos were heard inside the stadium as a teary Brahim went up to collect the Golden Boot award after finishing the tournament with a tally of five goals for the Atlas Lions.
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‘My heart aches. I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you’ve given me, every message, every show of support that made me feel I wasn’t alone,’ Brahim told his followers on X this afternoon.
‘I fought with everything I had, with my heart above all else.
‘Yesterday I failed, and I take full responsibility and apologise from the bottom of my heart.
‘It will be hard 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.
‘I will keep going until one day I can repay all this love and be a source of pride for my Moroccan people.’
More to follow.
