Brahim Díaz emerges as African Cup of Nations MVP frontrunner ahead of final
Real Madrid's bit-part player has become the star of Morocco's AFCON campaign, with journalists across Africa tipping him for the tournament's top individual honour.
The Spanish midfielder has taken the tournament by storm, with five goals putting him in pole position for individual honours as Morocco face Senegal in tonight’s showpiece.
Leading the pack
Take a stroll through the press room at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium and you’ll hear one name on everyone’s lips - Brahim Díaz. The Real Madrid man has emerged as the clear favourite to bag the AFCON MVP award ahead of tonight’s final between Morocco and Senegal.
The numbers don’t lie - the Malaga-born midfielder leads the tournament scoring charts with five goals in six matches. He’s found the net in every game except the semi-final stalemate against Nigeria. His only real competition? Sadio Mané, who brings two goals and three assists to the table.
The experts speak
Journalists from across the globe have been singing Brahim’s praises in Rabat:
- BBC’s Lee James rates him above Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi and Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, expressing surprise at his bit-part role at Madrid
- L’Equipe’s Herve Penot puts him top of a three-man shortlist alongside Mané and Senegal’s Idrissa Gana Gueye
- Even Senegalese journalist Mamadou Ndiaye couldn’t deny Brahim’s impact, ranking him above his compatriot Mané
- Cameroonian reporter Pascal Renaud Inang Bilong completed the clean sweep, naming Brahim first in his top three
Golden Boot in the bag?
The Golden Boot looks all but sewn up for the Spanish-Moroccan playmaker. His five-goal haul puts him comfortably ahead of teammate El Kaabi (three goals) and Mané (two goals) - the only other contenders still in the competition.
Final hurdle
Of course, it’s not all done and dusted. Tonight’s final will have a massive say in who takes home the individual gong. If Brahim can produce another stellar performance and help Morocco lift the trophy on home soil, he’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
For a player who can’t get a regular game at the Bernabéu, this tournament has been proper Bobby Dazzler. The big question now is whether Carlo Ancelotti might start giving him more than just cameos when he returns to Madrid with potentially an AFCON winner’s medal and MVP award in his suitcase.