Morocco coach Walid Regragui said a long delay before Brahim Díaz took a penalty “must have disturbed him” after the Real Madrid midfielder missed in Morocco’s recent match.
Díaz, who has been in the spotlight since committing his international future to Morocco, stepped up to take the spot kick but failed to convert. Regragui pointed to the interruption and the time it took before the kick was finally taken as a key factor in the miss.
“The long wait must have disturbed him,” Regragui said, backing his player despite the setback and stressing that Díaz remains an important part of his plans.
The coach’s comments made clear that he saw the delay as unusual and influential, rather than a technical issue or a lack of confidence from Díaz. Regragui also underlined that misses can happen, especially when a player is made to wait before taking such a high-pressure kick.
Díaz’s penalty miss was one of the major moments of the game, but the Morocco staff insisted it would not define him, with Regragui continuing to show support for the attacker as he settles into his role with the national team.
