Morocco forward Brahim Díaz has recorded what may be the most ironic tournament of his career.
He lost a crucial penalty shot he played unbelievably lamely yet ended up winning the Puma Golden Boot at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
Playing before home fans, the Atlas Lions attacker topped the scoring chart, underlining his influence after also finishing top scorer in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
Díaz ended the tournament with five goals, a tally unmatched by any other player despite Morocco’s eventual defeat in the final.
He scored in every phase, opening against Comoros, netting versus Mali, and striking twice against Zambia during the group stage.
The Real Madrid forward continued his run in the knockouts, scoring against Tanzania in the Round of 16 and Cameroon in the quarterfinals.
By scoring in five matches, Díaz joined an elite AFCON list and set a new Moroccan benchmark for consistency at the continental finals.
But the penalty shot he lost during the final game against Senegal on Sunday got his feat beclouded.
For a long time, many will ponder what went wrong as his foot almost went dumb as he tried to beat keeper Edouard Mendy.
An analyst, Nsikakabasi Akpan, put it this way in a Facebook post:
