Morocco's Brahim Díaz is the Africa Cup star thriving away from Real Madrid's turmoil

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Real Madrid can look forward to getting what will look like a new signing when a reinvigorated Brahim Díaz returns from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Brahim has emerged as the star of the tournament, where the Morocco No. 10 is the top-scorer with five so far.

The 26-year-old Brahim may yet lead the host team to victory in Sunday’s final against Senegal, when the Atlas Lions will hope to end a 50-year wait for just their second Africa Cup title.

Few could have foreseen the impact he has had for Morocco given how little he's featured for Real Madrid this season.

Brahim started only four games in La Liga and the Champions League under former Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who gave him 14 substitute appearances.

He has started all six for Morocco and scored in almost all of them. Brahim managed the remarkable feat of scoring in each of Morocco’s first five games. It was only in the semifinal against Nigeria – when nobody scored before the penalty shootout – that Brahim’s scoring streak ended.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui suggested Brahim’s mentality has changed since he joined the squad.

“It has changed a lot since he came. He came, of course, with a lot of desire, with many people waiting for him to make a big difference,” Regragui said on Saturday. “Now he understands that he is one more (player) in the team. Of course, he is an X-factor for us, someone who can score in every play, but what is more important for us is how he runs for the team and how he drives this offensive style we want.”

Brahim has eight shots on target, more than any other Moroccan player at the tournament. If he scores again on Sunday he will join Ahmed Faras as Morocco’s joint-top scorer at an Africa Cup with six. Faras, the 1975 African footballer of the year, is the country’s all-time top scorer with 36.

“He didn’t score in the last game but he was one of the happiest,” Regragui said. “He’s proud to play for Morocco.”

Regragui remembered approaching Brahim with the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, in January 2023 and convincing the young forward to play for Morocco. Spanish-born Brahim has a Moroccan father and Spanish mother. Brahim played for Spain youth teams and once for the senior team.

“The truth is I didn’t lie to him when I told him that here he will have people who will love him for life and that if he dies for the team, for the fans, they will never forget him, and that he can win titles too, he can play in the World Cup,” Regragui said. “That’s what’s happening to him now and I’m very happy.”

The coach said he was happy with Brahim’s attitude and happy that he will return to Madrid having had much more playing time than he likely would have received in the Spanish capital.

Brahim will be returning to a different environment after Madrid fired Alonso, replacing him with his former teammate Álvaro Arbeloa.

“I’m sure he’s going to compete to win his place,” Regragui said of Brahim. “But now he has to finish the job tomorrow, as that’s what’s important for him and for us.”

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz celebrates after the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Cameroon and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz celebrates after the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Cameroon and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz celebrates after the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Cameroon and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Cameroon and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Morocco's Brahim Abdelkader Díaz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Cameroon and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

One U.S. service member was rescued and at least one was missing after two U.S. military planes went down in separate incidents including the first shoot-down since the war began nearly five weeks ago.

It was the first time U.S. aircraft have been downed in the conflict and came just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran.”

One fighter jet was shot down in Iran, officials said. A U.S. crew member from that plane was rescued, but a second was missing, and a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation was underway.

Separately, Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation, said it was not clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down.

The war now entering its sixth week is destabilizing economies around the world as Iran responds to the U.S. and Israeli attacks by targeting the Gulf region's energy infrastructure and tightening its grip on oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Here is the latest:

Authorities in Dubai said the facades of two buildings were damaged by debris from intercepted drones, including one belonging to U.S. tech firm Oracle. No injuries were reported.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack Oracle and 17 other U.S. companies after accusing them of being involved in “terrorist espionage” operations in Iran.

Previous Iranian drone strikes caused damage to three Amazon Web Services facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

As of Friday, 247 of the wounded were Army soldiers, 63 were Navy sailors, 19 were Marines and 36 were Air Force airmen, according to Pentagon data available online.

It is unclear if the data includes any of the service members involved in the downing of two combat aircraft reported Friday.

Most of the wounded — 200 — were also mid to senior enlisted troops, 85 were officers and 80 were junior enlisted service members.

The current death toll remains at 13 service members killed in combat.

Palestinian Muslims attend Friday prayers outside Jerusalem's Old City due to restrictions linked to the Iran war, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Tamara and her sister Amal color pictures on the floor as their parents, Sara and Ahmed, who fled their village of Khiyam in southern Lebanon due to Israeli bombardment, sit inside a tent used as a shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Mohammad Qubaisi, 53, with burn wounds from an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon undergoes surgery by Dr. Mohammed Ziara, left, and his team, at the Sidon Government Hospital in Sidon, Lebanon, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

FILE - An F-15E Strike Eagle turns toward the Panamint range over Death Valley National Park, Calif., on Feb. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)