For an abnormally long amount of time, Kylian Mbappé stood at the penalty spot, waiting for a final decision. A routine opportunity turned into one of the strangest moments of France’s World Cup quarterfinal win over Morocco, with VAR leaving the French captain with uncertainty.

“I threw the penalty incorrectly, but it was hard because there was confusion,” Mbappé said after the game, according to TouchlineX on X. “The referee told me that there was a penalty at first, and then he told me that there might not be a penalty after all. I lost my focus. I had never lived a situation like that.”

The stoppage during the game was a result of the referees consulting with the VAR team about whether the penalty decision should stand. The play that caused the incident occurred 25 minutes in, when Noussair Mazraoui tripped Mbappé, causing the Frenchman to fall over in pain.

After his wait, Mbappé was told to re-spot the ball, following which he stuttered his run in an attempt to go for the bottom right, which was easily blocked by the Moroccan goalie. Observers noted that the striker never looked confident during the process.

The incident added to an eventful night that already saw debate surrounding FIFA’s decision to select an all-Argentinian crew for the match. While the officials eventually let the penalty stand, the prolonged wait became a major talking point for the night.

The captain’s comments offered a glimpse into the mental side of taking penalty shots at the highest level. Elite players like Mbappé rely on carefully developed routines in the moments before taking a penalty, and waiting makes it hard to preserve rhythm.

Despite the disruption, Mbappé did eventually redeem himself, scoring a goal at 60 minutes, followed up six minutes later by teammate Ousmane Dembele. The pair of goals helped France beat Morocco and book their third straight World Cup semifinal appearance.

This also marked Mbappé’s 8th goal this tournament, and marked his 20th goal in just 20 World Cup games. The French player is both the youngest and fastest player to achieve the milestone, and has also overtaken Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race.

However, reflecting on the missed penalty, the challenge for the French star wasn’t the kick itself, but it was not even knowing if the opportunity would be there. Regardless, the French team now waits for Friday’s quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium.