Morocco midfielder Brahim Diaz has broken his silence after missing a crucial late penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday, which proved decisive in his side’s defeat to Senegal.
Diaz failed to convert from the spot deep into stoppage time after Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review, with the match still goalless. The midfielder’s chipped effort was saved by Edouard Mendy, and Senegal later went on to win the final in extra time.
Reacting, in an emotional statement posted on X on Monday, Diaz accepted full responsibility for the miss and apologised to Moroccan fans.
“My soul hurts. I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you all gave me, every message, every show of support that made me feel I wasn’t alone. I fought with everything I had, with my heart above all else.,” he wrote.
“Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility. I apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
The 24-year-old admitted the pain of the moment would take time to overcome but vowed to keep pushing forward for the sake of supporters who stood by him.
“It will be hard for me 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,” Diaz added.
“I will keep going forward until one day I can give you all this love back and become a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”