Why Was Kylian Mbappé Not Awarded Penalty in France’s Win Over Senegal?

The French forward was at the heart of more controversy on Tuesday.

Kylian Mbappé’s penalty shout was surprisingly waved away. | CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images

France was far from its best for the majority of Tuesday’s 3–1 win over Senegal, and when Kylian Mbappé saw a penalty shout waved away in the 58th minute, it felt like it was going to be one of those days for Les Bleus.

Mbappé went down in the box following a challenge from the retreating Sadio Mané, but referee Alireza Faghani was unmoved. As usual, a VAR check followed and Fahgani was soon asked to come review the incident on the pitch-side monitor—a clear sign that the VAR official felt a mistake may have been made.

Faghani made his way to the monitor and watched several angles that showed Mané’s lunging leg making contact with Mbappé, so fans at home and inside MetLife Stadium were left stunned to hear he would not be reversing his decision.

“My phone has blown up with messages from several of the world’s best referees who also can’t understand why a penalty wasn’t given,” Darren Cann, a former assistant referee with experience in both World Cup and Champions League finals, confessed on BBC One’s coverage of the game.

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Why Was Mbappé Not Awarded a Penalty?

Alireza Faghani (center) waved away France’s appeals. | Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

As Faghani returned to the pitch to announce his final verdict, most expected a penalty would be awarded. Replays clearly showed Mané failing to touch the ball and instead making contact with Mbappé.

Faghani even appeared to point to the spot, seemingly just indicating the area of the incident in hindsight, as he publicly accused Mbappé of initiating the contact. The referee stood by his initial decision, also declining to book the Frenchman for any alleged simulation.

Mbappé could not comprehend the decision. He had been accused of intentionally angling his leg into Mané’s sliding body, punished for not vaulting the Al Nassr winger’s wild challenge.

“The situation in the box ... we had a VAR call and I won’t tell you what I told the fourth official,” France manager Didier Deschamps reflected.

“For the referee to come back and say Kylian put his leg forward, I am not sure I saw this. A penalty should have been awarded but this is my interpretation.”

Fortunately for Mbappé, Deschamps and France, the decision hardly mattered as Les Bleus ultimately ran out 3–1 winners, with Mbappé even netting twice to become France’s all-time top goalscorer.

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All Eyes on FIFA’s Response to Incident

Unlike a controversial offside decision during Switzerland’s 1–1 draw with Qatar, there has been no public response from FIFA to explain Faghani’s decision.

In truth, soccer’s governing body is under no obligation to reveal audio of Fahgani’s conversation with the VAR, but a private review of the performance of the referee, who took charge of Chelsea’s Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain 12 months ago, will be held.

Significant mistakes often lead to demotions from FIFA. There were suggestions that Fahgani, officiating at his fourth World Cup, could have taken charge of this summer’s final at MetLife Stadium, but such an illustrious position is unlikely to be handed out if FIFA believe Fahgani made a high-profile error.

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