Mbappe explains penalty miss vs Morocco as referee confusion derails early chance

France captain Kylian Mbappe missed his penalty kick against Morocco in the 2026 World Cup quarter-final after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui in the area. Following a VAR check, Mbappe saw his poor effort saved by Yassine Bounou, keeping scores level at 0-0. He later scored in the 60th minute with a stunning goal, before Ousmane Dembele added a second six minutes later to secure France's semi-final place. Mbappe revealed the unusual circumstances around his miss: 'I shot the penalty badly, but it was tricky, there was confusion. The referee tells me it's a penalty, so I got prepared. Then, he comes and tells me it may not be a penalty. I lost my focus—I've never been in a situation like this before.' This victory marks France as the first team to reach the semi-finals, while all African representatives have now been eliminated from the tournament. For West African football fans, Mbappe's admission highlights how officiating inconsistencies can impact crucial moments even at the highest level.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/10/2026-world-cup-why-i-missed-penalty-against-morroco-mbappe/