Mbappé misses penalty as France, Morocco draw 0-0 at halftime in World Cup quarter-final

France and Morocco are battling in the opening quarter-final of the 2026 World Cup, hosted at Boston's stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The match featured an all-Argentine refereeing crew, led by Facundo Tello.

Despite a goalless first half, France had a significant opportunity to take the lead just before the hydration break. In the 25th minute, a swift counter-attack saw Desiré Doué dispossess Achraf Hakimi. Doué then set up Kylian Mbappé, who accelerated down the left flank. As Mbappé entered the penalty area, he was fouled by Noussair Mazraoui, resulting in a penalty call.

After a period of deliberation, including VAR confirmation and protests from Moroccan players, the penalty was taken in the 28th minute. Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, known as Bono, anticipated Mbappé's intention and saved the shot to his left. This marked the first penalty missed by the French star in a World Cup, and he appeared visibly frustrated by the delay in his run-up.

The other quarter-final fixtures are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Spain will face Belgium, while Norway plays England, and Argentina will compete against Switzerland.

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the first penalty that the French number 10 has missed in a World Cup