Morocco international Ibrahim Diaz said he was “deeply saddened” after missing a decisive penalty in stoppage time of the second half of the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal, a moment that denied Morocco a long-awaited continental title after a 50-year wait.
The Real Madrid midfielder took to social media to apologize to fans following Sunday’s 1-0 extra-time loss in the 2025 AFCON final, played in Rabat.
“My soul hurts,” Diaz wrote. “I dreamed of this title thanks to all the love you gave me. Every message and every show of support made me feel I was not alone. I fought with everything I had, with my heart before all.”
Diaz, who finished the tournament as Morocco’s top scorer, said he accepted full responsibility for the missed spot kick.
“Yesterday I failed, and I take full responsibility. I apologize from the bottom of my heart,” he said.
The 25-year-old acknowledged that overcoming the disappointment would not be easy.
“It will be hard for me to recover, because this wound does not heal easily,” Diaz wrote. “But I will try. Not for myself, but for everyone who believed in me and everyone who suffered with me.”
He ended his message by pledging to continue working to repay the trust shown in him, adding: “I will keep moving forward until one day I can give back all this love and be a source of pride for my Moroccan people.”
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