The final of the last Africa Cup of Nations, where Senegal ultimately triumphed over hosts Morocco, remains a topic of intense discussion, largely due to a pivotal moment involving Ibrahim Diaz. The Moroccan and Real Madrid star missed a penalty that could have secured the title for the Atlas Lions, a miss executed with a weak attempt down the middle as he seemingly aimed for a ‘Panenka’ style chip.
This failure has not faded from memory, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters. The manner of the miss, perceived by some as an ill-advised display of flair at a critical juncture, has been dissected extensively. According to a report by the French outlet le10sport, while Diaz faced a torrent of reproach, another player’s similar error in the tournament has arguably escaped comparable scrutiny.
A Champion’s Perspective on the Missed Opportunity
Adding a champion’s insight to the discourse, Iliyman Ndiaye, who won the tournament with Senegal, recently shared his thoughts. He expressed finding Diaz’s attempt “somewhat disrespectful,” while clarifying he did not believe it was intended as an insult. “I don’t know if I would have done that or not,” Ndiaye remarked, highlighting the immense pressure of the moment. “You are just minutes away from becoming your country’s king. They hadn’t won for many years, and all you had to do was score. So I don’t understand why he did that, but I’m happy he did. I think after that, we knew we were going to win.”
This commentary underscores the fine line between audacious skill and costly misjudgment on football’s grandest stages.
The narrative of a missed penalty altering destiny extends beyond the final. In the semi-final clash, Morocco faced Nigeria in a tense encounter that ended in a goalless draw, pushing the decision to a penalty shootout, which Morocco won 4-2. However, prior to the shootout, Nigeria had a golden chance to seize victory in regular time.
French-Algerian journalist Nabil Djellit, speaking on Canal+ Sport Afrique, pointed to this overlooked moment. “In the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, let’s remember that Nigeria lost by a narrow margin (on penalties)… Chukwueze passed the ball to the goalkeeper… We talk a lot about Ibrahim Diaz, but Chukwueze’s penalty was a scandal as well,” Djellit stated. He argued that had Samuel Chukwueze shown more composure, Nigeria might have advanced to the final instead.
Thus, while the spotlight has intensely focused on Diaz’s costly error in the final, the tournament’s outcome was also significantly shaped by another squandered spot-kick in the semi-final, a moment that, according to some observers, has not received the equivalent level of critical examination.