Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has offered strong support to Brahim Diaz after the Africa Cup of Nations final, stressing that the missed penalty should not define the Morocco forward or overshadow Diaz’s wider performances during the tournament on home soil.
Diaz left the pitch in visible distress after Morocco’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Senegal, later collecting the Golden Boot award while in tears, yet Luis Enrique insisted that the Real Madrid attacker’s overall contribution remained outstanding despite the decisive penalty miss in the closing stages.
The key moment came deep into stoppage time, with the score 0-0 and Morocco awarded a penalty against Senegal. Diaz stepped up, but play was halted for around 17 minutes as Senegal protested,
even briefly leaving the field before eventually returning for the spot-kick.
When the penalty was finally taken, Diaz attempted a Panenka, trying to chip the ball down the centre. Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy held position and saved, keeping the match level and pushing the AFCON 2025 final into extra time, where Senegal later scored the winning goal.
That dramatic sequence was underlined by the timing of the kick.The episode intensified scrutiny on Diaz, who had been one of Morocco’s standout players throughout the competition.90+24 - Brahim Diaz's penalty was taken in the 24th minute of added time, at the end of the second-half. Drama.#AFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/tyuzSrqn8ZOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 18, 2026
Enrique, who coached Diaz with Spain, moved quickly to challenge harsh reactions to the failed Panenka. "He is an exceptional player and a very good person," Luis Enrique said. "It's very unfair to see that. " The coach highlighted the fine margins involved in such decisions.
Enrique had previously handed Diaz a first senior cap for Spain in an international friendly in 2021. Diaz later chose to represent Morocco, becoming a central figure for the hosts at AFCON 2025, which made the penalty miss and subsequent criticism even more intense.
Addressing the incident at length, Enrique underlined how pressure affects players. "I can understand it's hard to accept and it was a bizarre thing to do. Everyone can see that. But this is a sport, nothing else. Nothing happens, whether you win or lose. The important thing is the value that you can give to young people, without exaggerating on that. He is neither an assassin nor a bad person. You have to respect how difficult it is to be a young player. It's a difficult time. There's a lot of pressure. I remember [Zinedine] Zidane, who is a football God, did a Panenka during a World Cup final [in 2006 against Italy]. I also remember Sergio Ramos, who took a Panenka during a very important game [Spain's Euro 2012 semi-final against Portugal]. Lots of players have done it. When you score that type of penalty, nobody says anything and everybody applauds. But when you miss, there are lots of negative opinions about that player, and he is a magnificent player. "
By pointing to Panenka penalties taken by Zinedine Zidane and Sergio Ramos in major tournaments, Enrique argued that Diaz’s choice was neither unusual nor irresponsible, and suggested that the outcome, rather than the technique, shaped the reaction among supporters and commentators.
The AFCON 2025 final defeat means Morocco’s wait for another continental title continues, yet Luis Enrique’s comments placed focus back on Diaz’s quality, maturity under pressure, and influence during the tournament, rather than allowing one missed Brahim Diaz penalty to dominate the wider narrative.
