A failed Panenka: Brahim Díaz’s catastrophic Panenka at AFCON 2025 Final attempt Explained

The most controversial and talked-about moment of the AFCON 2025 final wasn’t just the late penalty award — it was Brahim Díaz’s catastrophic Panenka attempt that turned potential Moroccan glory into heartbreak, and arguably cost the Atlas Lions the title on home soil.

Deep into the 8th minute of stoppage time (effectively the 98th minute), after the chaotic walk-off protest by Senegal’s players over the controversial spot-kick decision, the game finally resumed.

The pressure was immense: this was the last kick of normal time, a chance for Díaz — the tournament’s top scorer with five goals — to end Morocco’s 50-year wait for AFCON glory with one audacious chip.

Díaz stepped up confidently. He kissed the ball, placed it carefully on the spot, took his measured run-up… and attempted the iconic Panenka — a delicate lob down the middle, designed to wrong-foot the keeper.

But Édouard Mendy, Senegal’s world-class shot-stopper, read it perfectly. He stood his ground, didn’t dive, and simply caught the weak, floating chip in his midriff with embarrassing ease — as if it were a routine back-pass.

The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium fell into stunned silence, then erupted in a mix of Moroccan groans and Senegalese roars. Díaz’s face told the story: hands on head, disbelief turning to devastation.

The aftermath was brutal. Pundits called it one of the worst Panenka attempts in major final history. Former Nigeria striker Efan Ekoku, on commentary, exclaimed: “What is Brahim Díaz doing? Too clever for his own good… He may never get another chance like this.”

Social media exploded — some questioned if the long 17-minute delay (caused by the protest) rattled him, others labeled it showboating gone wrong. Díaz was substituted soon after Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner, seen in tears on the bench.

The miss didn’t just prolong the game — it shifted all momentum. Senegal, fueled by a sense of injustice, came out fighting in extra time and claimed the trophy.
Díaz, the hero who carried Morocco to the final, became the tragic figure of a night defined by drama. That failed Panenka will haunt him — and live forever in AFCON folklore as the chip that changed everything.

What a cruel twist in one of the wildest finals ever.