Kylian Mbappe’s saved penalty in France’s quarter-final win over Morocco has reignited debate over whether the stuttering run-up should stay in football. The miss added to a growing trend at this World Cup, where stop-start penalty techniques have produced more failed attempts than many expected.
France still advanced 2-0 after Mbappe scored later from open play and Ousmane Dembele sealed the result, but the earlier spot-kick miss highlighted a wider problem: goalkeepers appear to be adapting quickly to stuttered penalties.
Why the debate is growing
Stutter penalties and the numbers
This World Cup has seen 26 penalties taken with a stutter, including shootouts, and 11 have been missed. That 57% conversion rate is notably lower than the 68% success rate for non-stutter penalties, where 24 of 35 attempts have been scored.
H3: A tougher penalty climate
Overall, penalties have been less reliable at this tournament than in most recent World Cups. Non-shootout misses have reached 30%, while the combined miss rate, including shootouts, has risen to 35% the highest since records began in 1966.
Mbappe’s miss under the microscope
Routine interrupted
Mbappe’s attempt was delayed by a VAR check that left him waiting more than three minutes before taking the kick. That pause may have broken his usual routine, and observers noted the shot lacked pace and precision.
Bounou’s reputation
Yassine Bounou once again showed why he is regarded as one of the best penalty goalkeepers in the game. He has now been beaten by only two of the nine World Cup penalties he has faced, including shootouts.
What comes next
Keep stuttering or simplify?
Some players still use the technique successfully, but the trend suggests keepers have improved at reading it. Former players and analysts argue that modern goalkeepers’ athleticism, data analysis and patience are making the stutter less effective than before.
