Kylian Mbappe scored a panenka penalty to secure Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Villarreal in La Liga, dedicating the spot-kick directly to his team-mate Brahim Diaz. After converting the audacious chip, Mbappe embraced Diaz and whispered in his ear, “For you, for you.”
The gesture was a show of solidarity for Diaz, who made headlines for missing a panenka in the Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year. The 26-year-old’s effort for Morocco against Senegal was saved by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy after a lengthy delay caused by VAR and protests from the Senegalese players.
Diaz was left in tears following the miss, which saw Senegal claim victory after extra time. He later issued an emotional apology, writing: “My heart aches. I dreamed of this title... I failed, and I take full responsibility and apologise from the bottom of my heart. It will be hard to recover, but I will keep going until one day I can repay all this love.”
Mbappe confirmed after the Villarreal match that the dedication was intended as support for his team-mate. “It was support for him,” he told Marca.
Real Madrid boss Arvelo Arbeloa praised both Mbappe and Vinicius Jr., describing them as “the best players in the world” and highlighting their commitment to the team. “They are really committed... they are the first who are pressing,” Arbeloa said.
