Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé has expressed deep concern for his Moroccan friend Achraf Hakimi and teammate Brahim Díaz following the Atlas Lions’ 1–0 defeat to Senegal in the AFCON 2025 final.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the French captain addressed the dramatic end to the tournament, focusing in particular on the mental state of his club teammate Brahim Díaz after his missed Panenka penalty proved decisive.
Mbappé revealed that he spent “half the night” on the phone with his close friend Achraf Hakimi to process the chaotic events of the final. However, his attention quickly turned to Diaz, the tournament’s top scorer, who is facing intense scrutiny and backlash from fans after his attempted chip was saved by Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Drawing on his own painful experience of missing a decisive penalty against Switzerland at Euro 2020, Mbappé offered empathetic support. “I sent him a message, but I haven’t reached him yet. I think he must be sad,” Mbappé said. “It’s difficult, I completely understand how he must be feeling right now. Of course, he will feel disappointment and anger. The Moroccan people have been waiting for this for years and were so close. This is the life of a footballer.”
Looking ahead to Diaz’s return to Spain, Mbappé insisted that the Real Madrid squad has a responsibility to protect their teammate. “We will have to help him when he comes back here to Madrid,” he declared. “Before even thinking about football, we have to think about the person. He must be in a terrible state right now, and our goal will be to recover him as a person. We will be there for him.”
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