The recent quarter-final match of the World Cup saw Morocco face off against vice-champions France, resulting in a 0:2 defeat that has sparked ongoing debates over refereeing decisions. Even after Morocco's exit from the tournament, discussions continue to revolve around the officiating, particularly concerning a lengthy VAR check that preceded a missed penalty by French star Kylian Mbappé, as well as the subsequent opening goal scored by him.
Moroccan coach Mohamed Ouahbi raised concerns about what he deemed a handball by Adrien Rabiot, a teammate of Mbappé, leading up to the latter's stunning goal. Ouahbi asserted that several players halted their efforts during the match because they believed a handball had occurred. He stated, "It was definitely a handball!" This sentiment was echoed by Moroccan media outlets, with Kooora questioning whether France's first goal was legitimate.
During the 60th minute of the match, Rabiot was involved in a duel with Brahim Diaz, during which the ball made slight contact with Rabiot's hand. There was speculation that the ball first hit Rabiot's knee before the handball occurred. In the aftermath, Brahim Diaz and other Moroccan players protested, but Argentine referee Facundo Tello allowed play to continue. Following a subsequent clearance, the ball found its way back to Mbappé, who ultimately scored, all within a mere 13 seconds from the contentious incident.
However, even Ouahbi could not definitively state whether a foul should have been called. He admitted, "I don’t know if it should have been a penalty or not – I have no idea." Former referee Manuel Gräfe interpreted Rabiot's action as
As reported by sport1.de.
