Trent Alexander-Arnold's Teammate Breaks Silence After AFCON Nightmare

In a dramatic AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal at Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz endured a heartbreaking penalty miss that handed victory to Senegal, prompting teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold's viral live reaction.[1][2][3]

The match reached fever pitch in stoppage time. Senegal's apparent goal was ruled out after VAR deemed Abdoulaye Seck fouled Achraf Hakimi's hand during a corner. Moments later, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty for El Hadji Malick Diouf's foul on Diaz inside the box.[1][3] Enraged, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch in protest, halting play for 10 minutes. Captain Sadio Mané convinced them to return.[1][2][3]

Diaz stepped up against ex-Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy, opting for a chipped penalty that Mendy saved comfortably. Watching on a Twitch livestream with brother Marcel during El Chiringuito, Alexander-Arnold was stunned. "Which way do you think?" Marcel asked. "I don’t know, I’ve never seen him take one," Trent replied. As the ball looped tamely into Mendy's gloves, Trent clutched his face in shock, leaped from his chair, and walked off-screen, exclaiming nothing while Marcel gasped, "My God!" The clip exploded on social media, with fans tweeting: "Trent in the mirror, standing in disbelief," and "He had to leave the room."[1][2][3]

Extra time brought redemption for Senegal: Papa Gueye rifled in a long-range stunner four minutes in, securing a 1-0 win and their second AFCON title. Gueye later reflected: "We felt injustice... Sadio told us to come back, Edouard made the save, we stayed focused."[3] Mendy dismissed conspiracy theories of an intentional miss, insisting: "He wanted to score, I deserve credit."[2]

Diaz now faces a quick turnaround, rejoining Real Madrid for Champions League action against Monaco amid the "nightmare." Alexander-Arnold's raw reaction captured the agony for Morocco fans and neutrals alike.[1][2]

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