Morocco Coach Mohamed Ouahbi Slams VAR Over Missed Handball Before Kylian Mbappe's Goal in FIFA World Cup 2026 QF vs France

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi did not mince words following his team's 2-0 defeat to France in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals yesterday, July 9, 2026, expressing profound disappointment with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Ouahbi firmly believes a handball by French midfielder Adrien Rabiot in the sequence leading to Kylian Mbappe's crucial 60th-minute opener should have been reviewed, disrupting his players' focus in the high-stakes encounter at Boston Stadium. Kylian Mbappe Hailed by Manager Didier Deschamps After France March Into FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals By Knocking Out Morocco.

'Some players stopped because there was a handball. And there definitely was a handball!' Ouahbi told reporters after the match as quoted by IANS. 'I don't know whether it should have been called or not; I have no idea... in the end, it was an individual effort from Kylian Mbappé that led to the goal.'

Adrien Rabiot Handball Missed By VAR?

The Controversial Goal

The incident occurred during a pivotal moment in the quarter-final clash, which saw France secure their spot in the semi-finals. Kylian Mbappé, after missing an earlier penalty in the first half, scored France's first goal in the 60th minute, followed by Ousmane Dembélé six minutes later, sealing the 2-0 victory for Les Bleus. However, the focus quickly shifted to the build-up to Mbappé's opener, where Moroccan players visibly protested an alleged handball.

According to referee analyst Juan Guzmán and referee instructor Victor, VAR did not intervene because the handball was deemed incidental and did not directly or immediately lead to the goal. They explained that possession changed hands before Mbappé's decisive strike, separating the attacking phase from the earlier contact. Under the Laws of the Game, VAR only intervenes if an attacking handball directly leads to a goal or creates an immediate goalscoring opportunity. Erling Haaland Reacts To Long Penalty Delay That Disrupted Kylian Mbappe's Penalty in France vs Morocco FIFA World Cup 2026 QF.

Coach Ouahbi's Tenure and Morocco's Campaign

Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over as Morocco's head coach on March 5, 2026, succeeding Walid Regragui, has had a remarkable, albeit now concluded, World Cup campaign. Under his guidance, the Atlas Lions reached the quarter-finals after an impressive run, including a 3-0 victory over Canada in the Round of 16. Despite the controversial moment, Ouahbi acknowledged France's superiority on the night, stating, "We are disappointed but the first half was very difficult. The French were very good with the ball."

France now advances to the semi-finals, where they await the winner of the Spain vs. Belgium quarter-final. Morocco, despite their exit, leave the tournament with their heads held high after another memorable World Cup journey.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 10, 2026 02:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).