France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco, though the game’s first major talking point came during a lengthy first-half VAR review which delayed Kylian Mbappé’s first-half penalty by more than three minutes, prompting an unusual reaction from Norway striker Erling Haaland, whose social media post quickly went viral. Mbappé eventually recovered from the setback to score in the second half as Didier Deschamps’ side secured victory through goals from the France captain and Ousmane Dembélé. However, the prolonged wait before his penalty, the ensuing save by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and renewed scrutiny of VAR procedures overshadowed much of the first half at Boston Stadium.
Haaland weighs in as lengthy VAR review frustrates Mbappé
France were awarded a penalty during the opening half after Kylian Mbappé went down inside the penalty area following a challenge from Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui. Argentine referee Facundo Tello immediately pointed to the spot, but the decision was subjected to an extended VAR review.
Members of France wait during a penalty check prior to a penalty kick by France’s Kylian Mbappe during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The check lasted more than three minutes, with Mbappé visibly frustrated as he waited 3 minutes and 10 seconds before finally being allowed to take the penalty. During the delay, the France captain was seen speaking animatedly with Tello before both teams headed towards the scheduled hydration break.
France’s Kylian Mbappe speaks with Referee Facundo Tello, right, and assistant referees Juan Pablo Belatti, and Gabriel Chade, left, all three from Argentina, during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between France and Morocco in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
When play eventually resumed, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou produced another outstanding save, diving to deny Mbappé from the penalty spot and keeping the quarter-final goalless. Moments later, Mbappé threw his arms into the air and appeared to shout towards the referee, highlighting his frustration after the unusually long interruption.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (1) stops a penalty kick against France’s Kylian Mbappe (10) during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Watching the match from his team’s hotel, Norway striker Erling Haaland joined the discussion with a now-deleted Snapchat post. Sharing an image of the incident, he wrote: “Need to wait 5 min to take a penalty is way too long.” Although Haaland slightly exaggerated the duration, his comment echoed a growing debate among players and supporters over whether lengthy VAR reviews unfairly affect penalty takers. Mbappé ultimately recovered from the miss after half-time, cutting inside before firing a powerful strike beyond Bounou into the top corner to give France the breakthrough. Ousmane Dembélé later added a second goal as Les Bleus completed a 2-0 victory to set up a World Cup semi-final in Dallas against either Spain or Belgium.
Roy Keane questions delay as referee appointments continue to attract attention
Haaland was not the only prominent football figure to criticise the delay. Speaking during ITV’s coverage, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane questioned why penalty takers should be forced to wait so long before taking their kick. “It is unfair, it’s a pressure situation, why does he have to wait for over three minutes? It’s unfair, even for these world-class players,” Keane said. “Time is the enemy for the striker, it almost gives the advantage back to the team who conceded the penalty. It’s not right.” The incident unfolded against the backdrop of wider debate surrounding FIFA’s officiating appointments for the quarter-final. Before kick-off, attention had centred on FIFA’s decision to appoint an entirely Argentine on-field officiating team led by Facundo Tello, with Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade serving as assistant referees, Darío Herrera as fourth official and Christian Navarro as reserve assistant referee. The appointment generated discussion on social media because France and Argentina have developed an intense rivalry since the 2022 World Cup final. However, FIFA’s selection was consistent with its broader officiating policy during the tournament, where referees and assistant referees have routinely come from the same nation. England’s Round of 16 victory over Mexico, for example, featured an Australian refereeing trio, while Argentina’s dramatic win over Egypt earlier in the knockout stage was overseen by three French officials, supported by additional officials in the VAR room.
Refereeing remains under scrutiny after recent World Cup controversies
The France-Morocco quarter-final became the latest match to place refereeing decisions under the spotlight during the 2026 World Cup. Earlier in the knockout stage, Egypt launched strong criticism following their dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina, accusing FIFA of favouring the reigning world champions after a controversial VAR decision ruled out an Egyptian goal before Lionel Messi inspired Argentina’s comeback. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan later claimed officials wanted to keep Messi and the defending champions in the tournament, allegations FIFA has rejected. While no such claims emerged following France’s victory, the lengthy pause before Mbappé’s penalty once again reignited discussion over VAR’s impact on the flow of matches and whether prolonged reviews inadvertently place additional pressure on penalty takers.
