Morocco's Golden Boot Winner Defended After Penalty Miss

Brahim Diaz scored in his first five consecutive AFCON matches, won the Golden Boot, and carried Morocco to their first final since 2004, but one missed penalty in the championship made fans forget everything else.

The 24-year-old made history at AFCON 2025, becoming the first player ever to score in his opening five matches of the tournament. He netted crucial goals against Comoros, Mali, Zambia, Tanzania, and Cameroon, earning two Man of the Match awards along the way.

In his very first African tournament, Diaz ended as the competition's top scorer. He recorded eight shots on target, more than any other Moroccan player, and delivered goals when elimination loomed in the knockout rounds.

Then came the final against Senegal. Morocco lost 1-0 in extra time, and Diaz missed a penalty during the match. Social media erupted with criticism, turning a tournament star into a scapegoat overnight.

But football's biggest names see it differently. Luis Enrique, the Paris Saint-Germain coach who once managed Messi and won two Champions League titles, jumped to Diaz's defense immediately.

"Everyone is talking about Díaz, but it reminds me of Zidane, who is considered a legend in football and who did the same thing in a World Cup final," Enrique said. He called Diaz "a young player going through a difficult moment," not someone who deserves condemnation.

The numbers back up Enrique's perspective. Research shows that only 81% of penalties are scored during regular play, meaning one in five misses even without tournament pressure. In high-stakes shootouts, that success rate drops even lower.

Even Lionel Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, missed the first penalty in the 2016 Copa América final for Argentina. That miss led to such intense criticism that Messi briefly retired from international football before returning to eventually win the World Cup.

Why This Inspires

The real story isn't about one kick. It's about a young player showing up for his country in his first major African tournament and delivering consistently under massive pressure.

Diaz broke a 22-year drought by helping Morocco reach the final. He set a competition record that had never been done before. He won the Golden Boot while adapting to a completely new style of football.

Those achievements don't disappear because of one moment. The best coaches in the world understand that football includes failure, and they're reminding fans that legends are built across entire careers, not erased by single mistakes.

Brahim Diaz gave Morocco something to celebrate, and that's a win worth remembering.