Kylian Mbappe experienced a significant delay before taking a penalty during France's FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal match against Morocco at Boston Stadium in Foxborough. The delay lasted over three minutes after Mbappe was awarded the penalty following a challenge from Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui inside the box. Referee Facundo Tello pointed to the penalty spot immediately, but the kick was postponed as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the incident.

Details of the VAR Review

The VAR team assessed whether Mbappe had gone down prior to contact from Mazraoui. Although the referee initially confirmed the penalty, he sought validation from VAR official Hernan Mastrangelo before proceeding. Mbappe was prepared to take the shot but had to wait for three minutes and 11 seconds while the review was conducted. Once the penalty was validated, he stepped up to take the kick, which was ultimately saved by Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Deschamps' Reaction to the Delay

France's head coach, Didier Deschamps, expressed his concerns regarding the lengthy VAR review, stating, "I believe there was a VAR review and then a second review which took two minutes. I'm not sure what happened." He acknowledged that the delay complicated the situation for Mbappe, who was ready to shoot. Despite the missed penalty, Mbappe rebounded in the second half, scoring France's opening goal and assisting Ousmane Dembele for the second goal in a 2-0 victory.

With this win, France advanced to the World Cup semifinals for the third consecutive tournament. They are set to face either Spain or Belgium for a chance to reach the final.