I lost my focus – Mbappe on why he missed penalty against Morocco
by Ayeh Offei-Akoto · MyNewsGh.comFrance captain Kylian Mbappé has explained why he missed his penalty during Les Bleus’ 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mbappé was awarded a first-half penalty after being brought down in the box by Noussair Mazraoui.
Following a lengthy VAR review, the France captain stepped up, but his poorly struck effort was saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, leaving the score goalless.
Mbappé, however, made amends in the second half by curling home a superb goal in the 60th minute before Ousmane Dembélé added a second six minutes later to seal France’s place in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on his missed penalty, Mbappé admitted the uncertainty caused by the VAR review affected his concentration.
“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,” he said.
Source: MyNewsGh.com
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