Mbappé Blames Referee's Confusing Penalty Call for Miss Against Morocco

Kylian Mbappé described a confusing penalty incident during France's quarter-final match against Morocco as a "new scenario" he had not previously encountered. The French captain missed a penalty in the first half of the match, which France ultimately won 2-0.

“

The penalty? What do you want to know? I shot, he saved it.

Mbappé explained that the referee initially awarded a penalty but then, after a VAR check, seemed to reverse the decision before confirming it again. This prolonged sequence, which lasted nearly three minutes, disrupted his concentration. "The referee tells me there is a penalty. So I ask him if the check is finished. He tells me yes. So from that moment on, we transition with Ousmane (Dembélé), who gives me the ball. Then he comes to see me when I am already starting to concentrate to tell me there is no penalty! I don't know, I take the ball back in my hands. I put it back... to tell me there is a penalty. He tells me to wait, that he has to check an action two minutes before...", Mbappé recounted.

“

I don't shoot well.

Despite the unusual circumstances, Mbappé acknowledged his own role in the miss, stating, "I don't shoot well." However, he emphasized the unprecedented nature of the situation, where the referee's indecision impacted his preparation. "This scenario, I had not yet experienced it... So it is a scenario that will have to be considered because the referee can tell you there is a penalty and two minutes later, that there is no penalty. I don't know how long it lasted. So that's part of the new football. It's the new football with VAR. You have to adapt."

“

It's complicated because there is an imbroglio: the referee tells me there is a penalty. So I ask him if the check is finished. He tells me that yes. So from that moment on, we do the transition with Ousmane (Dembélé), who gives me the ball. Then he comes to see me when I start to concentrate to tell me that there is no penalty! I don't know, I take the ball back in my hands. I put it back... to tell me that there is a penalty. He tells me to wait, that he has to check an action two minutes before…

Although he failed to convert the penalty, Mbappé redeemed himself in the second half by scoring France's opening goal. He finished the match with one goal and was part of the French team that advanced to the next stage of the tournament. The incident highlights the complexities and potential disruptions introduced by VAR technology in high-stakes matches.

“

This scenario, I had not yet experienced it... So it is a scenario that will have to be considered because the referee can tell you there is a penalty and two minutes after, that there is no penalty. I don't know how long it lasted. So that's part of the new football. It's the new football with the VAR. You have to adapt.