Trent Alexander-Arnold Reacts to Brahim Diaz’s Horror AFCON Penalty
Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold watched on in horror as his club teammate Brahim Díaz missed a crucial penalty in Sunday’s spectacular Africa Cup of Nations final.
The meeting between Senegal and Morocco will go down in history for all the wrong reasons. After a Senegal goal was harshly ruled out in stoppage time, the award of a Morocco penalty saw manager Pape Thiaw drag his players off the pitch in protest.
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After returning 10 minutes later, the decision still stood and Brahim stepped up with the chance to win the entire tournament for his country.
“Which way do you think?” Alexander-Arnold was asked by his brother Marcel as the pair watched the crucial spot-kick on Twitch.
“I actually don’t know, genuinely,” the right back responded. “I’ve never even seen him take one.”
It may be a while until Brahim takes another penalty. His chipped effort landed tamely in the arms of the grateful Edouard Mendy, who would have the last laugh as Senegal went on to win in extra-time.
Alexander-Arnold had no words for the miss. The Englishman simply grabbed his face in shock before diving off-screen. “My God,” was his brother’s reaction.
Conspiracy Theories Laughed Off
While this was not the first time we have seen a Panenka penalty on such a grand stage—Zinedine Zidane’s successful effort in the 2006 World Cup final is perhaps the most famous—many have asked why Brahim would take such a risk.
Given the circumstances before the penalty, there have even been suggestions that Brahim intentionally missed his spot-kick as some form of justice.
“We have to be serious,” Senegal stopper Mendy told beIN Sports when this theory was put to him. “Do you really think that with one minute left and a country that has been waiting 50 years for a title, we can agree on something?
“He wanted to score and I deserve credit for stopping him, that’s all.”
Brahim will now jet back to Madrid and will have little time to swipe away the cobwebs. Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Monaco comes far too soon but the Morocco international may be needed for Saturday’s trip to Villarreal.
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