Four matches, four goals, and above all four high level performances that have made him the standout figure of this CAN. To date, no Moroccan player had ever achieved such a feat in the history of the competition, except for the eternal legend Ahmed Faras, the late African Ballon d’Or 1975 winner, who scored three goals in three matches at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations. Brahim Diaz has now surpassed that mythical record, while remaining in continuity with the legacy left by one of the greatest names in national football.
The undisputed attacking leader of the Atlas Lions, Diaz also stands alone at the top of the provisional scoring chart of CAN 2025, ahead of his teammate Ayoub El Kaabi and Algerian captain Riyad Mahrez. Beyond the numbers, it is his impact on the team’s collective play that stands out. Technical accuracy, composure in decisive moments, intelligent positioning and the ability to take responsibility when the pressure is at its highest.
This Africa Cup of Nations is also one of strong Moroccan individual performances in the service of a collective perfectly shaped by Walid Regragui. Over the first four matches, Brahim Diaz was named Man of the Match twice, while Neil El Aynaoui and Ayoub El Kaabi also received this distinction. This recognition reflects the depth and complementarity of the Moroccan squad, engaged in an ambitious and controlled dynamic.
The round of 16 against Tanzania will also remain etched in the history of this edition. Played in an exceptional atmosphere at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, the match set a new attendance record for CAN Morocco 2025, with 63,894 spectators in the stands. A crowd in full voice, witnessing a historic moment and a player who, like Ahmed Faras in the past, now embodies the hope, talent and pride of an entire people.
Brahim Diaz is not only writing a fine chapter of CAN 2025. He is building a legend, that of a player who answered the call of history and is leading the Atlas Lions toward the heights, with ambition, elegance and greatness.
Translated from Abderrazzak Boussaid’s French article – le7tv