Brahim Díaz faces intense backlash after a failed Panenka in the AFCON final, with former Morocco coach Hervé Renard calling it disrespectful and demanding greater accountability.
Criticism of Brahim Díaz has continued in the aftermath of Morocco’s painful AFCON final, with the Real Madrid attacker finding himself at the centre of a storm after his failed Panenka-style penalty.
The miss has been framed by many observers as not merely a technical error, but a moment of poor judgment given the scale of the occasion and the emotional weight carried by a national team chasing a historic title. In a final defined by tension and fine margins, the decision to attempt such an audacious finish has been portrayed as the turning point that shifted the mood from belief to disbelief.
One of the most striking reactions has come from Hervé Renard. Now in charge of Saudi Arabia, the French coach is far from an external commentator throwing in an opinion for effect. Renard knows Moroccan football intimately, having managed the national team from 2016 to 2019 and having played a key role in guiding Morocco to the 2018 World Cup. Because of that history, his words have carried particular resonance, especially among supporters who regard him as someone who understands the cultural and emotional context surrounding the national team.
Renard did not try to soften his message. While acknowledging that any player can miss a penalty, he insisted the situation demanded a different standard of responsibility and respect. In his view, the attempt itself was the problem, not simply the outcome. He argued that a penalty in a final, under maximum pressure, is not a stage for improvisation or showmanship, especially when a nation has waited decades for a moment of triumph. His tone was categorical, emphasising that he felt no compassion in this instance because the act represented something larger than an individual mistake.
“You have the right to miss a penalty, but in this case I am unequivocal and I have no compassion at all. It is a lack of respect towards an entire country and an entire people who have been seeking success for 50 years,” Renard said, in comments reproduced by AS. The wording underlined how he sees these moments as carrying a national responsibility, where a player’s choices can be interpreted as symbolic, not just sporting.
To support his point, Renard referenced a similar episode from his own experience, using it as an example of how seriously he treats such decisions. He recalled the Arab Cup match against Morocco in which one of his players, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, attempted a Panenka and missed badly. The key detail was not just the miss, but what happened next. Renard explained that he immediately demanded accountability, asking the player to join him in the post-match press conference to apologise publicly. For Renard, that was the appropriate response, because the act was not viewed as an ordinary football error but as a misreading of the moment.
“To a lesser extent, I experienced the same at the Arab Cup against Morocco. One of my players, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, tried a Panenka and completely missed it. I asked him to come with me to the press conference and apologise,” Renard added. The comparison made his broader philosophy clear: certain moments require seriousness and humility, and when a player crosses that line, he believes it must be addressed openly rather than brushed aside.
The reaction highlights a wider debate that always resurfaces when a high-profile Panenka fails. When it works, it becomes an icon of confidence and technique, celebrated as a daring expression of personality under pressure. When it fails, it is often judged harshly as arrogance, frivolity or disrespect. In Brahim Díaz’s case, the context of an AFCON final, and the long wait many Moroccan supporters associate with continental glory, has amplified the backlash. The miss has not been treated as a simple sporting misfortune, but as a moment that supporters feel should have been approached with maximum pragmatism.
For Díaz, the controversy is especially significant because his role with the national team has carried intense scrutiny from the start. As a high-profile figure playing for Real Madrid, he is automatically held to a standard where decisive contributions are expected, and where setbacks draw disproportionate attention. A penalty in a final is one of the clearest moments for a player to define a legacy, and missing it in such a manner has invited judgments not only about his finishing, but about his mentality and decision-making.
At the same time, the criticism also reflects the brutal reality of elite football. Penalties, especially in finals, can permanently shape reputations. A single choice, made in a fraction of a second, becomes the subject of national debate, and public figures, including respected coaches, weigh in with uncompromising opinions. Renard’s stance suggests he views leadership as setting standards about what is acceptable in moments of maximum pressure.
The coming days will likely determine how the situation evolves. If Díaz responds strongly, either by addressing the incident publicly or by producing decisive performances in future matches, the narrative may soften. If he stays silent, the episode may continue to be used as a reference point whenever his temperament and decision-making are discussed. What is certain is that Renard’s comments have ensured the debate will not fade quickly, because they frame the miss not simply as a failure, but as a question of respect, responsibility and understanding what a final represents for a nation.
