Moroccan player Brahim Díaz has broken his silence after his missed penalty that led to his country’s defeat in the African Cup of Nations final on Sunday.
The forward took a shot from 12 yards and missed in the final moments of the game against Senegal, with his team ultimately losing 1–0 after extra time.
Díaz won the Golden Boot for being the top scorer in the tournament, but he ended up with a silver medal after the final.
He posted on Instagram to share his sadness about his unsuccessful Panenka shot and apologized to the many upset Moroccan fans.
“My soul hurts. I dreamed of this title because of all the love you guys have given me, every message and every act of support that made me feel like I wasn’t alone,” he said.
“I gave my all, with my heart leading the way. I messed up yesterday, and I’m fully responsible for it. I’m really sorry for what happened.
“It’s going to be tough for me to get better because this wound takes a long time to heal, but I’ll do my best.
“Not because of me, but for everyone who believed in me and for everyone who went through this with me.
“I will keep moving forward until one day I can give back all this love and become a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”
The Real Madrid man was a top candidate for the Most Valuable Player award at AFCON this year because he scored in each of his first five matches.
He was not at his best in the final in Rabat but had a chance to win the match in the last moment after winning a penalty.
Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy stopped his Panenka shot without much trouble.
Díaz was visibly upset after missing the chance and walked quickly down the tunnel a few minutes into extra time after being substituted.
The Real Madrid player later returned to the bench looking very upset after receiving his Golden Boot from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
