France were at the center of one of the biggest controversies of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday after Kylian Mbappe was denied what many believed was a clear penalty against Senegal. The incident occurred just before the hour mark in Group I action in New Jersey when Senegal captain Sadio Mane brought down the France forward inside the box. Referee Alireza Faghani initially awarded a corner and, even after being sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR, chose not to change his decision, leaving players, pundits, and fans stunned.
Kylian Mbappe left stunned after Sadio Mane challenge escapes penalty punishment
The flashpoint arrived as Mbappe burst down the right side and drove into the penalty area. Mane, trying to stop the attack, lunged in from behind and made contact with the France star. Faghani immediately pointed for a corner, a decision that drew disbelief from Mbappe and his teammates. Moments later, VAR asked the referee to review the challenge on the monitor. Many expected the decision to be overturned, but Faghani stuck with his original call and ruled that Mbappe had looked for the contact.
Speaking on BBC commentary, former England striker Alan Shearer strongly disagreed with the verdict. “I don’t get it. You can see the lunge from Mane and his left leg catches Mbappe. How can Mbappe initiate contact if he is in front of him? It’s bizarre it really is.”
Alan Shearer, Pat Nevin, and Darren Cann question Alireza Faghani VAR decision
The decision continued to draw criticism from several voices covering the match. Pat Nevin, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “That is just rubbish. Utter nonsense. No chance at all. How can he [Kylian Mbappe] have initiated the contact? The most nonsensical line I have ever heard.”
Former World Cup final assistant referee Darren Cann also questioned the outcome. “I can’t support the referee’s decision to be honest. For me it is a clear penalty,” Cann said. “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. For me it is very, very clear and I am extremely surprised he did not point to the spot after a correct VAR review.”
France eventually moved past the controversy on the field. Mbappe opened the scoring five minutes later after being set up by Michael Olise, before Bradley Barcola added a second late in the match to seal a 2-0 victory for Les Bleus.
