'Definitely handball': Morocco coach questions Mbappé goal as VAR no-show sparks debate
Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed frustration over a controversial handball incident during a World Cup match against France. Despite the protests, officials confirmed the goal was valid as the handball was deemed incidental and outside the immediate attacking phase.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing debates regarding the consistency and application of VAR technology in high-stakes international football matches.
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi questioned the build-up to Kylian Mbappé's crucial goal after his side's 2-0 FIFA World Cup quarter-final defeat to France, insisting there "definitely was a handball" while expressing confusion over why the incident was not reviewed by VAR.The controversy emerged during the sequence that led to Mbappé's goal, with several Moroccan players stopping play believing France had handled the ball in the build-up.Speaking after Morocco's World Cup campaign came to an end, Ouahbi admitted he was unsure whether the incident should have resulted in a free-kick but maintained that the handball itself was evident."Some players stopped because there was a handball. And there definitely was a handball!" Ouahbi told reporters. "I don't know whether it should have been called or not; I have no idea...
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