Kylian Mbappe speaks about penalty miss and injury

The captain of the France national team, Kylian Mbappe, commented on his missed penalty during the World Cup quarter-final match against Morocco. The forward openly admitted that misunderstandings during the game and long delays due to the VAR system hindered his concentration. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

The penalty kick, awarded during a crucial moment of the match, was taken after a nearly three-minute delay. In an interview with RMC Sport, Kylian Mbappe emphasized that the referee's decisions and communication with video assistants disrupted his mental preparation. Initially, the referee confirmed the penalty, but the subsequent review process put the player in an uncomfortable position.

VAR and loss of focus

"I executed the shot poorly. The situation became a bit confusing. The referee said there was a penalty, I asked if the VAR check was finished, and he said yes. When I picked up the ball and prepared to shoot, the referee came back and said the decision wasn't final yet, and that a situation from two minutes earlier needed to be checked," said Kylian Mbappe.

According to the French star, such technological pauses in modern football require new psychological preparation from players. While admitting his mistake, he noted that he is far from blaming the referees, but rather that one must be ready for such unexpected scenarios. "This is part of the new football, we have to adapt to it," the forward added.

Concerns about injury

Kylian Mbappe leaving the pitch in the 77th minute caused serious concern for many. The player, who needed medical attention due to a blow to his ankle, was replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta. However, at the end of the match, the captain reassured fans that his injury was not serious.

According to ESPN, Kylian Mbappe will be fully fit for the semi-final match. The fact that he celebrated the victory with his teammates at the end of the game also indicates that he is in good condition. "I took a knock to my ankle, but everything is fine. At the end of the game, Mateta could help more than I could, so I was substituted," the player clarified.

The France national team defeated Morocco 2-0 and secured a spot in the semi-finals. Now, the reigning champions are preparing for the next difficult test on the threshold of the final. Kylian Mbappe is ready to take the field as his team's main weapon.