Kylian Mbappe misses penalty after three-minute delay as fans cry 'rigged' – then scores stunning goal

Kylian Mbappe was left waiting for three minutes and 10 seconds before taking a penalty in France's World Cup quarter-final against Morocco – a delay that fans and pundits alike called unfair, with some claiming the tournament was 'rigged'. The incident happened midway through the first half in Boston when Noussair Mazraoui's foul on Mbappe gave France a clear spot-kick. But instead of taking the penalty quickly, Mbappe stood and waited as referee Facundo Tello and his Argentinian officiating team – the first all-from-one-country refereeing team of the tournament – carried out checks. When he finally struck, Mbappe rolled a tame effort to the left, easily saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Bono. It was only his second miss for Les Bleus in 16 attempts and his first since a World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan in March 2021. Fans reacted furiously on social media. One wrote on X: 'Why has the ref delayed the penalty so long?! This is rigged.' Another said: 'Nah they set him up with that delay.' ITV pundit Roy Keane did not hold back: 'I know these are world class players but it is unfair because it is a pressure situation. Time is the enemy for a striker when you're waiting, so you're giving the advantage back to the goalkeeper.' Ian Wright agreed: 'It probably does put you off. The longer you have to wait for a penalty the more you doubt what you're going to…' It was not only the delay that raised eyebrows: the fact that the entire refereeing crew was from Argentina – the team France defeated in the World Cup final four years ago – added to the suspicion. But Mbappe silenced his critics almost immediately. Just moments after missing the chance, he picked up the ball on the edge of the box and curled a stunning effort beyond Bono to put France ahead. The controversy may linger, but for now, Mbappe's response was emphatic.