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THE SECRET CONVERSATION BETWEEN EDOUARD MENDY AND BRAHIM DIAZ BEFORE THE PENALTY MISS
A 17-minute walk-off and a failed Panenka: Discover the inside story of how Morocco lost the AFCON 2026 final to Senegal.
Morocco manager Walid Regragui said Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz looked unsettled before his shocking penalty miss in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal.
Diaz had a golden shot at making history when Morocco won a last-minute penalty with the score still 0-0. One goal would have handed them their first continental title in half a century. But right when the pressure was at its peak, chaos broke out. Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, pulled his whole team off the pitch to protest the VAR decision that led to the penalty. Suddenly, nobody knew what was going on. The Senegal players disappeared into the dressing room, fans tried to storm the field, and security scrambled to keep order. Seventeen minutes ticked by—seventeen long, tense minutes.
When the dust settled and everyone finally returned, Senegal’s keeper Edouard Mendy dragged things out even more, stalling at the penalty spot while Sadio Mane tried to calm everyone down. Diaz tried to block it all out. He kissed the ball, set it down, and went for a Panenka. But the shot was weak, and Mendy barely had to move. He caught it with ease.
The final turned into a wild, messy affair. In extra time, Senegal’s Pape Gueye broke through with a brilliant winner, and just like that, Senegal had their second AFCON title. Morocco’s players were crushed. Diaz, in tears, watched as Senegal lifted the trophy.
People on social media started whispering that Diaz missed the penalty on purpose, maybe as a protest against himself. But Regragui dismissed all of that. “He had too much time to think before the kick, and that messed with his head,” he said. “But what’s done is done. That’s how he took the penalty. Now we move forward.”
When reporters pressed Mendy about his conversation with Diaz before the miss, he just smiled. “That’s between us,” he said. “We went through it together, we came back together, and tonight, we can be proud.” Did he think Diaz missed on purpose? “No way. Let’s be serious. You really think, with one minute left and a country waiting fifty years for a title, anyone would throw that away? He wanted to score, and I did my job stopping him. That’s it.”
Diaz finished as the tournament’s top scorer, but after the loss, he was left posing for photos with player of the tournament Sadio Mane and top goalkeeper Yassine Bounou—an awkward moment after such heartbreak.
Nigeria legend John Obi Mikel didn’t sugarcoat it on Channel 4: “That miss spoils everything Diaz did in this tournament. He’s going to be devastated for weeks, maybe months.”
Former Morocco international Hassan Kachloul agreed. “Diaz will have nightmares about this for days, but that’s football. He probably changed his mind a few times before that kick. Sadly, Morocco paid the price.”
Meanwhile, Sadio Mane earned plenty of praise for dragging his teammates back onto the field after their walk-off. Former Nigeria forward Daniel Amokachi called him “an ambassador for football”, saying, “He knows what this game is all about. Morocco only have themselves to blame—they had so many chances to win.”
Kachloul added, “What really stood out was Sadio Mane. He was the one who got his team back on the pitch. It shows what kind of person he is. He saved African football—and maybe world football, too—by bringing them back.”
MARSEILLE MELTDOWN: WHY MEDHI BENATIA QUIT AFTER A BITTER MASON GREENWOOD FALLOUT
Marseille meltdown: Medhi Benatia resigns as Sporting Director after clashes with Mason Greenwood. Get the latest on De Zerbi’s exit.
Marseille’s sporting director, Medhi Benatia, has quit his job after reports of friction with Mason Greenwood, the former Manchester United striker.
It’s a tough time for the club. Benatia’s exit comes with pressure piling up; Marseille’s going through a rough patch that also saw Roberto De Zerbi walk out. De Zerbi left after that brutal 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The team are sitting in fourth, and they just missed out on the next round of the Champions League in dramatic fashion.
Benatia, who used to play for Morocco and had a solid career with Bayern Munich, Roma, and Juventus, confirmed he’s stepping down. In his statement, he didn’t hold back: “Since I got here, I’ve poured my heart into this job with one goal: getting Marseille back where it belongs. I know this club inside out. I understand what it asks of you and the passion behind it.”
He tried to keep things positive: “We’re still in the fight. Making the Champions League is within reach, and we’re still gunning for the Coupe de France. Even with the setbacks and bad luck, the project’s still moving forward on the pitch. But I can’t ignore what’s happening around us.”
Benatia pointed to growing frustration and a communication breakdown: “In Marseille, results speak for themselves. You know I don’t sugarcoat things. With all the tension in management, I’ve handed in my resignation because, to me, the club always comes first. I don’t want to be an obstacle or a burden.”
He finished with a note of regret: “I did everything I could, but I couldn’t calm things down around the team even though I really believe they can hit their targets.”
Apparently, Benatia and Greenwood just didn’t get along. Greenwood’s been crucial for Marseille since joining in 2024, and while De Zerbi backed him publicly, things between Benatia and Greenwood reportedly got icy. L’Equipe claimed the two barely spoke, and Benatia didn’t hide his criticism on or off the field.
Some say Benatia got fed up with Greenwood ignoring commercial duties last summer and not caring about the fallout. Now De Zerbi’s on the market, a familiar name for clubs like Manchester United and Tottenham, both hunting for new managers.
De Zerbi’s already been linked to United before. After his stint at Brighton, he was apparently considered for the Old Trafford job before they stuck with Erik ten Hag.
ARRESTS AT THE MKM: WHY POLICE INTERVENED DURING HULL CITY’S FA CUP DEFEAT
Police made arrests at the MKM Stadium as Chelsea beat Hull 4-0. Read the full report on Pedro Neto's hat-trick and the fan fallout.
Hull City say police made arrests after fans started up discriminatory chants during their 4-0 FA Cup loss to Chelsea on Friday night. Early in the game, the stadium’s PA system cut in with a warning: stop the chanting, or face arrest. Stewards and police didn’t mess around in the second half; the club announced they’d actually detained some supporters.
The chant targeted Chelsea and was homophobic. It’s not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Back in 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service made it clear that a certain lyric in the chant is a homophobic slur, and using it can land you in legal trouble. Just ask Paul Boardman, a Liverpool fan who got slapped with a Wembley ban and a £500 fine for shouting it at a train station.
Meanwhile, the game itself got away from Hull. Chelsea rolled over them, with Pedro Neto bagging a hat-trick. Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic still found a few positives, though. He liked the team’s defensive setup and thought they could’ve used their counterattacks better. “We deserved at least one goal,” he said, “but if we play like this, we’ll be in a good spot in the Championship.” He’s already thinking ahead to the next match against QPR.
On the other side, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was back at the MKM Stadium, his old stomping ground. He was buzzing about his team’s attitude and effort, especially in the first half. “Hull are flying in the Championship, and I hope they make the Premier League,” he said. “But our mentality and quality tonight made the difference.” He singled out Pedro Neto for his work rate and finishing, but really, he seemed proud of the whole squad. “Everyone put in a shift. The mentality was spot on.”
The night was extra special for Rosenior. He had more than 20 family members in the stands and got warm applause from both sets of fans. “This club means a lot to my family and me,” he said. “I really appreciate the welcome. It was a good night all around.”
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