Kylian Mbappé's missed penalty adds to record as France‑Argentina diplomatic row erupts

Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty in France's group‑stage match against Morocco, his 15th career miss, placing him ninth on the list of players with the most missed penalties since 2001. The miss came in the 28th minute after referee Facundo Tello awarded the spot‑kick, which was upheld following a VAR review.

Following France's 1‑0 win over Paraguay in the World Cup 2026 quarter‑finals, Argentine vice‑governor Hebe Casado posted on X that the French team was an “African team without manners”, prompting the French embassy in Argentina to declare her persona non grata and suspend her from any cooperation with the embassy. Ambassador Romain Nadal said the comments were “unquestionably racist” and warned they could be reconsidered only if Casado retracts her statement. The incident has strained Franco‑Argentine diplomatic ties and drawn criticism from France, Paraguay and FIFA.

The episode highlights the heightened emotions surrounding the tournament and the broader sensitivities of racial remarks in international sport.