Morocco's dream of ending a nearly 50-year wait for the Africa Cup of Nations title was shattered in the most dramatic fashion, with Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz at the heart of the heartbreak. The Atlas Lions fell to Senegal in the final of AFCON 2025, a defeat sealed by a missed penalty and followed by threats of legal action from the Moroccan Football Federation.
The Moment That Decided the Final
With the score level deep into stoppage time in Rabat, Morocco was awarded a highly controversial penalty. The decision came after Diaz was judged to have been fouled by Senegal's El Hadji Malick Diouf. The call sparked immediate chaos, with Senegal's head coach, Pape Thiaw, instructing his entire team to walk off the pitch in protest.
After a lengthy and tense delay that stretched the atmosphere around the stadium to its limit, the Senegalese players returned. The penalty was finally taken in the 24th minute of added time. Under immense pressure, with the chance to end his nation's trophy drought, Diaz attempted a delicate Panenka chip. His effort went straight down the middle and was comfortably saved by Senegal's experienced goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy.
The emotional and psychological swing was instantaneous. Senegal capitalized on the momentum just moments later, with Pape Gueye striking the winning goal in the fourth minute of extra time. This secured a second AFCON title for the Teranga Lions, leaving the Moroccan players and fans devastated.
Diaz's Heartfelt Public Apology
Brahim Diaz, who finished the tournament as the top scorer with five goals, was visibly distraught. He was left in tears as he received the Golden Boot award after the final whistle. The 26-year-old forward first apologized to his teammates in the dressing room before addressing the nation.
On Monday, Diaz posted a heartfelt and emotional message to Moroccan fans on social media. "My soul hurts," he wrote. "I dreamed of this title... I fought with everything I had, with my heart above all. Yesterday I failed and I take full responsibility and apologize wholeheartedly."
He acknowledged the difficulty of recovering from such a wound but vowed to continue forward for the sake of the supporters. "I will continue to move forward until one day I can return all this love to you and be the pride of my Moroccan people," his statement concluded.
Fallout and Morocco's Legal Threat
The controversy of the final did not end with the final whistle. The pain of the narrow miss has been intensified for Morocco by the events surrounding the decisive penalty. In the aftermath, the Moroccan Football Federation announced its intention to pursue legal action with both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.
The focus of the complaint is the Senegalese national team's decision to walk off the pitch in protest of the penalty award. Morocco's head coach, Walid Regragui, branded Senegal's actions as "shameful." This sentiment found a powerful ally in FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who described the walk-off as "unacceptable."
In a separate but related development, CAF has sanctioned Moroccan supporters following an incident during the third-place playoff between Egypt and Nigeria. The governing body condemned sections of the crowd for booing the Egyptian national anthem, calling it a breach of tournament rules on respect and sportsmanship.
The 2025 AFCON final will be remembered as one of the most dramatic and contentious in recent history, marked by a superstar's personal anguish and a nation's collective grievance that is now heading to the courtrooms of football's governing bodies.
