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Brahim Diaz Faces Uncertain Real Madrid Future Despite Outscoring Mo Salah in AFCON 2025

brahim diaz newcastle united

Brahim Diaz took home the top scorer award at the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), outscoring the great Mohamed Salah.

However, the Moroccan forward’s AFCON heroics have not made his situation at Real Madrid any better.

Brahim Diaz Outscores Mo Salah at AFCON

Morocco and Senegal headlined one of the most controversial AFCON finals in history. Minutes after Sadio Mane’s side saw a goal ruled out, Brahim Diaz won a penalty for the Atlas Lions.

Furious with the referee, Senegal players left the pitch in protest, stalling the game for 19 minutes. The game resumed in the 114th minute — in the 24th minute of injury time — with Diaz lining up to take the penalty.

The Real Madrid player attempted a Panenka, but he failed to sell it to Edouard Mendy, who made an easy save. There have been suggestions that he intentionally botched his penalty, but Mendy insists Diaz did not miss on purpose.

In extra time, Pape Gueye scored a spectacular goal to win the game for Senegal.

Diaz’s final did not go nearly as well as he had hoped. However, his performances over the tournament were commendable. He scored five goals in the first five games, becoming the first Moroccan player to score as many in consecutive AFCON matches.

He scored Morocco’s only goal in the 1-1 Group A draw with Mali and the 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Tanzania. Diaz was also on the scoresheet in the 2-0 win over Cameroon in the quarter-finals.

Diaz’s haul of five goals was enough to claim the AFCON top scorer award. Egypt superstar Mohamed Salah finished in joint-second with four goals.

Salah missed his third consecutive shootout penalty in Nigeria’s victory over Egypt in Saturday’s third-place match.

Diaz Faces Uncertain Future at Real Madrid

Diaz showed his quality in his first-ever major tournament for Morocco. Over the course of the tournament, he scored five goals, had 10 efforts on target, created five chances, and completed nine dribbles.

However, despite his excellent campaign, Diaz might still be warming the bench at Real Madrid. With Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe enjoying the untouchable status, the right wing is the only position realistically available to Diaz. But competition is fierce, and multiple talented players are vying for a place.

Rodrygo and Franco Mastantuono are the top two names in consideration, but Alvaro Arbeloa could also use Gonzalo Garcia in his front three alongside Vinícius and Mbappe. With the Spaniard regularly making the most of the opportunity, it will not be easy for Brahim to leapfrog him in the pecking order.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than six months away, and Diaz needs to play consistently to secure his place in the Moroccan squad. Since there is little assurance of playing time in the Spanish capital, a loan move could be on the cards for Diaz in the January transfer window.

Real Madrid value the player, but cannot guarantee him minutes this season. So, they will not keep him from securing a short-term loan. Football Blog can confirm Madrid are even open to a permanent transfer for the right price.

Owing to his stints with AC Milan, Diaz has drawn interest from several Italian clubs. Premier League’s West Ham United and Nottingham Forest are also believed to be monitoring the player.

Related TopicsAfrica Cup of Nations La Liga Real Madrid

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