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

France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal sparked controversy when Kylian Mbappé’s penalty appeal near the hour failed to sway referee Alireza Faghani, who did not award a spot kick after a VAR review. A monitor check showed Sadio Mané making contact with Mbappé, yet the decision stood, prompting disbelief from fans and analysts, including Darren Cann, a former FIFA official who criticized the call. Faghani later faced public scrutiny for appearing to indicate the spot before refraining from a call. Didier Deschamps acknowledged differing interpretations, saying he did not fully agree with the referee’s conclusion. France nonetheless secured the win, and Mbappé later scored twice to become France’s all-time top scorer. FIFA has not publicly addressed the incident, and a private review of the referee’s performance is planned.