Kylian Mbappé has revealed that the panenka penalty he scored at the weekend was a tribute to his Real Madrid teammate Brahim Díaz, saying it was “for” the Moroccan international after his recent heartbreak from the spot.
Kylian Mbappé dedicated his audacious panenka penalty in Real Madrid’s 2–0 win over Villarreal to Brahim Díaz, framing it as a gesture of solidarity after Díaz’s costly missed panenka in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.
Mbappé’s panenka came deep into stoppage time in La Liga, as Real Madrid secured a 2–0 away victory over Villarreal at La Cerámica.
The French forward converted from the spot with a delicate chip down the middle, then immediately ran to celebrate with Díaz on the pitch.
The dedication to Brahim Díaz
After the match, Mbappé explained that the penalty was intentionally taken as a panenka for his teammate.
He was quoted as saying, “My panenka penalty was for Brahim Diaz,” underlining that the gesture was meant to show support rather than simply showcase flair.
Díaz has been under intense scrutiny since missing a panenka in stoppage time of the AFCON 2025 final for Morocco against Senegal, a failure that contributed to Morocco’s eventual defeat in extra time.
The miss, easily saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, was widely criticised, with some pundits calling the attempt disrespectful given the pressure of the occasion and the nation’s long wait for a continental title.
