Penalty Curse Continues: Senegal Fans Troll Diaz After AFCON Final
29 March 2026
Penalty nightmare still haunts the Moroccan star despite a symbolic title.
Senegalese fans mocked Ibrahim Diaz after his oddly tame spot-kick in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, a moment that briefly opened the door for the Lions of Teranga to lift the trophy on the field, before the CAF later declaring the Moroccan side the winner by administrative 3-0.
Diaz’s miss came in stoppage time of the second half, when he blasted a Panenka-inspired penalty straight into the goalkeeper’s hands, a shot that left Morocco staring at the crowd and Senegal pretending nothing happened.
What happened in the final?
The miss sparked a brief walk-off by Senegal players in protest of the referee’s decision, and Morocco filed a protest of its own; later, CAF ruled in favor of the Moroccans with a 3-0 result in the title, a decision still debated.
Off the pitch, a Senegalese fan wore a shirt bearing Diaz’s number 10 and the words Merci Ibrahim Diaz, while three Senegalese women in the stands shared a lighter taunt.
Meanwhile, during a friendly in France, Senegal celebrated the trophy by celebrating in a new way and reminding the world that football is never just a final.
CAF and the Senegalese federation filed appeals at CAS, as the case lingered in the courts.
Reaction and aftermath
The saga continues, with fans still debating whether the final was decided on the pitch or in the rumor mill.
Read also: Video: Senegal continues to provoke Morocco — a look at the colors of Teranga and the Mandela moment from the stands.
Punchlines: If penalties were memes, Diaz just created a viral heartbreak for a nation. Punchline 2: The only thing more dramatic than this final is the CAF timeline—popcorn, please.
