Sport: Kylian-Mbappe Explains Why Joao-Felix Failed To Score Against Maignan (Text)

Sport: Kylian-Mbappe Explains Why Joao-Felix Failed To Score Against Maignan (Text)

France captain, Kylian Mbappe believes that the team’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, scared Joao Felix so bad that the player had to play the ball against the post. Kylian Mbappe wasn’t the starman for France against Portugal on Friday, contrary to expectation as he couldn’t do much in the Euro 2024 Quarter-finals.

He couldn’t score or create a convincing chance for any of his teammates to score as the game ended in a barren draw after 120 minutes of a not-too-exciting game. Hence, the game was decided via a penalty shootout.

During the penalty shootout, Mbappe, who was substituted in the extra time of the encounter, watched from the sidelines as the France goalkeeper’s size made the goalpost smaller than usual. Even Cristiano Ronaldo, who is known to be a gifted penalty taker, struggled to get his shot in.

In the 4th attempt for the Portuguese side, Joao Felix couldn’t stand the size of the goalkeeper as he directed his attempt to the sidebar.

After the 5-3 penalty win over Portugal, Kylian Mbappe attributed the “scary” physique of the goalkeeper for the victory.

The new Real Madrid signee said: “He [Mike Maignan] is scary. I don’t have the exact explanation, but when João Félix hits the post, it’s because he thinks there’s a goalkeeper in front of him who’s going to get it. We were successful, but a big part of that was down to Mike.”

Following the victory over Portugal, France will take on another European giant, Spain, in the semi-finals of the Euro 2024 at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9.