“I’ve got a bit of history myself”

Gary Lineker labeled Brahim Diaz’s Panenka penalty attempt in the AFCON 2025 final against Senegal ‘crazy,’ while reflecting on his own missed Panenka penalty during his playing days.

Deep into second-half stoppage time, tournament hosts Morocco were awarded a penalty after Diaz was brought down in the area as a corner came in.

However, the Real Madrid attacker was made to wait for around 17 minutes before taking the spot kick after several members of the Senegal team headed off the pitch and down the tunnel in protest of the on-field decision.

When the time finally arrived, Diaz faltered as his chipped penalty was comfortably saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Later, television cameras zoomed in on the Morocco bench after Brahim Diaz had been substituted, and he was seen holding back tears.

Lineker was a surprise spectator at the showpiece in Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, and the former England international shared his thoughts about how the match had unfolded before addressing Diaz’s missed penalty. He said:

“Not quite sure what I’ve just seen. I mean for a start why VAR had to get involved I really don’t know. It’s a stupid thing to do. And then it all kicked off. They didn’t look like they were going to play. They went down the tunnel, then they came back down eventually because of Sadio Mane. I think he was doing the right thing – kicking off in the crowd. The Senegalese fans were obviously deeply upset, but it all got very horribly violent.

“And then, well, he tried a Panenka. Now I know you…. I ‘ve got a bit of history myself, but under those circumstances when you’ve been standing around doing nothing for 15, 20 minutes. Crazy!”

Lineker, for all the elite-level and iconic status he earned with the England national team, became a villain after attempting a Panenka penalty in a 1992 friendly game against Brazil but saw his dinked effort easily saved by the goalkeeper (Carlos).

The miss at the time became a talking point because had Lineker converted, it would have put him level with Bobby Charlton for the England team’s top scorer.

Morocco boss Walid Regragui leaps to Brahim Diaz’s defense after attempting Panenka in AFCON final

Walid Regragui blamed Brahim Diaz’s Panenka penalty miss on the chaos that ensued after the referee’s decision, saying that the situation unsettled him.

“He had a lot of time before taking the penalty which must have disturbed him,” said Morocco manager Walid Regragui. “But we can’t change what happened. That is how he chose to take the penalty. We need to look forwards now.”

Despite the penalty miss, Brahim Diaz finished the tournament as the top scorer with five goals, earning him the Golden Boot award.