FIFA World Cup 2026: Why Was Kylian Mbappe Denied Penalty After Sadio Mane's Challenge?

France were denied a penalty after Kylian Mbappe was tackled from behind by Sadio Mane during their FIFA World Cup 2026 clash in New York.

Mbappe went down following the challenge, and the referee sought Video Assistant Referee (VAR) assistance but stood by his decision, determining that it was Mbappe who had "initiated contact".

France head coach Didier Deschamps was livid after the decision in what was a controversial moment in the match.

What happened in France vs Senegal?

In the 59th minute, Kylian Mbappe was brought down in the box by a sliding tackle from Sadio Mane. France appealed for a penalty bu the referee remained unmoved and signalled for a goal kick. After VAR review, the ref in question was asked to take a look at the screen to make a decision.

After going over the footage, the referee stuck to his decision and did not award France the penalty. The decision confused Mbappe, while France head coach Didier Deschamps was furious and argued with the 4th official. He could be seen gesturing that there was contact between Mane and Mbappe.

Why was the penalty not given?

The referee after viewing the footage signalled a goal kick and said that it was Mbappe who had initiated contact. The France forward jumped over the sliding Mane before tumbling onto the ground. Mbappe effectively hurdled over Mane’s leg after spotting the challenging coming in.

Was it the right decision? It is tricky, but given the minimal contact, the referee opted to side with Senegal on that instance.