FIFA World Cup 2026: Haaland's Blunt Verdict On Kylian Mbappe's Penalty Delay

Erling Haaland slammed the lengthy 3-minute VAR review before Kylian Mbappe's missed penalty during France's 2-0 World Cup quarterfinal win over Morocco, calling the long wait "way too long."

Haaland slams "too long" Mbappe penalty wait.

Source : PTI

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• Mbappé later scored, securing France's third consecutive semifinal.

FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal clash between France and Morocco produced an exceptional display of top-tier football, but it was heavily overshadowed by a controversial first-half refereeing delay. While France comfortably cruised into the semifinals with a solid 2-0 victory at the Boston Stadium, the post-match headlines were largely dominated by a grueling 3-minute-and-10-second VAR review.

The extended break took place right before French superstar Kylian Mbappé missed a crucial penalty. The incident sparked widespread debate across the football community, drawing a blunt, viral social media reaction from Norway's star striker Erling Haaland. 

Haaland's Blunt Social Media Verdict

The immense delay quickly caught the attention of Manchester City's prolific forward Erling Haaland, who was watching the tournament drama unfold remotely.

Haaland took to his social media accounts to post a photo of the television broadcast showing Mbappé standing over the spot. He accompanied the image with a blunt caption: "Need to wait 5 min to take a penalty is way too long."

While the Norwegian striker slightly exaggerated the length of the stoppage, his critique resonated deeply with experts and fans alike. Pundits like former Manchester United captain Roy Keane echoed Haaland's frustration, stating that forcing a world-class player to wait under such extreme pressure shifts an unfair advantage back to the defending team. 

VAR Delay and Mbappé's Penalty Miss

The defining drama unfolded in the first half of the high-stakes match when Argentine referee Facundo Tello pointed to the penalty spot following a heavy sliding challenge by Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui on Mbappé. As the French captain stepped up to assume responsibility, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, initiating a prolonged review that brought the game's momentum to a grinding halt.  

For 3 minutes and 10 seconds, Mbappé was forced to stand over the ball, visibly irritated and engaging in an animated discussion with the on-field match officials. The lengthy mental battle ultimately favored Morocco. When play finally resumed, Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou read the strike perfectly, executing a spectacular diving save to deny Mbappé and keep the Atlas Lions level before the halftime break.

France Seals the Win and Achieves History

Despite his first-half frustration, Mbappé proved his elite mentality by leading his country to victory in the second half. He broke the deadlock in the 60th minute with a spectacular goal, cutting inside the defense to fire a powerful shot past Bounou. Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead to secure the 2-0 victory.  

With this triumphant performance, France successfully booked its ticket to a historic third consecutive World Cup semifinal. Mbappé, who was awarded the Player of the Match accolade for the third time in this edition, dispelled minor post-match concerns regarding an ankle injury. He stated that his late substitution for Jean-Philippe Mateta was purely tactical to see out the final minutes safely.