Morocco won 2-0 against Cameroon in Rabat on Monday, securing a place in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals.
A goal in the second half by Ismael Saibari clinched the victory, but the spotlight was on Brahim Diaz, who opened the scoring with a skillful chested goal. Diaz’s goal marked his fifth in five consecutive AFCON matches, making him the tournament’s leading scorer with two rounds remaining.
Brahim Diaz’s Unique Path
Although Diaz is a key player for Morocco, he almost played for Spain instead.
Born in Malaga to a Spanish mother and a Moroccan father, Diaz represented Spain in youth teams and even made a senior appearance against Lithuania in 2021, scoring in his debut.
After struggling to secure a place with Spain, Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui contacted him. Since Diaz’s only appearance for Spain was in an unofficial match, he could switch to Morocco, provided he did not play officially for Spain again.
As Morocco’s football success grew, highlighted by a semifinal finish at the 2022 World Cup, Diaz aligned himself with Regragui’s vision and officially changed his allegiance to Morocco in 2024. His participation coincided with Morocco’s record-breaking streak of 19 consecutive international wins, a record previously held by Spain.
An Unforgettable AFCON for Brahim Diaz
Diaz’s five goals in the AFCON are noteworthy, but it’s the variety of those goals that is particularly impressive. He is not just a specialist in set-pieces; he scores with diverse build-up plays.
His first goal was a powerful shot from inside the box against Comoros. He then scored a penalty against Mali, followed by a goal against Zambia from a running play, a near-post solo effort against Tanzania, and finished his AFCON campaign with a chested set-piece goal against Cameroon. Five goals, each from a distinct play.
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