Saïss Talks About Diaz’s Missed Penalty in Africa Final
In this context, former Moroccan national team captain Ghanem Saiss addressed that moment during his appearance on the podcast “Colinterview,” where he said: “When I saw Ibrahim take the penalty kick in the Panenka style, I put my hands on my head because I couldn’t believe he chose this method at such a crucial moment in the match.”
Saiss explained that he feels sorry about what happened, noting that missing the penalty affected the player psychologically. He added that the most important thing is always the interest of the national team, expressing his hope that Diaz learns from this experience.
The former captain of the “Atlas Lions” also denied the rumors about the player deliberately missing the penalty, emphasizing that it was merely a decision made in a moment of great pressure. He said, “He could have become a hero, but he attempted to score an extraordinary goal with a Panenka shot.”
Saiss pointed out that losing the title was painful, especially since the Moroccan national team has not won the Africa Cup for nearly five decades and has not reached the final match since the 2004 edition. He added that shooting the ball powerfully into the center of the goal might have been the safest option at that moment.
Saïss concluded his remarks by emphasizing that missing penalty kicks is part of football, reminding that great players like Achraf Hakimi and Hakim Ziyech have previously missed similar penalties. However, he considered that executing it in such a manner and at a critical time was a significant risk, adding that after the match ended, he felt a great shock as if what happened was a nightmare.
