CAN 2025: African legends crush Brahim Diaz
The failed Panenka by the Moroccan forward, Brahim Diaz, at the very end of the AFCON 2025 final against Senegal continues to draw reactions from the African football world, with several former stars pointing to a decisive misjudgment in a key moment.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, won by Senegal over Morocco (1-0 after extra time), continues to provoke strong reactions, notably around the penalty miss by Brahim Díaz in the final seconds of regulation time. This move, a Panenka deemed too timid and easily saved by Édouard Mendy, crystallized the criticisms from several former African stars.
Solomon Kalou, a former Chelsea forward, initially pointed out the lack of pragmatism from the Real Madrid player, reminding that in these moments you have to be a hero for your country . While he concedes that Díaz had an overall successful tournament, the Ivorian believes that this missed opportunity weighed heavily on the outcome of the match. Odion Ighalo, a former Nigerian international, echoed the same sentiment, questioning the risk-taking: And in this kind of match, there is only one minute to seal it. You don’t take risks. You must strike hard and win.
More severe still, Teko Modise did not mince his words. The former South African international condemned a misplaced desire to play « elegant » in a historic moment, stating that « the problem isn’t missing the penalty, but the way it was missed ». According to him, this miss acted as a mental trigger for the Lions of Teranga, who ultimately made the difference thanks to Pape Gueye’s sumptuous strike in extra time, sealing Senegal’s title.
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