Euro 2024 Penalty Controversy Leaves France Goalkeeper Mike Maignan Feeling Frustrated

The penalty controversy surrounding France goalkeeper Mike Maignan has left him feeling frustrated. At Euro 2024, he was penalized for straying off his line before a spot-kick from Poland’s Robert Lewandowski. Although he successfully saved the penalty, it was retaken because Maignan had come too far off his line. This decision allowed Lewandowski to score the second penalty, resulting in a 1-1 draw and France finishing second in Group D.

Maignan took to Instagram to vent his frustrations with a post titled “as the attacker begins his 87th feint in his run-up.” He jokingly suggested new penalty rules for 2026 that would require goalkeepers to have their backs turned at the time of the shot and an indirect free-kick would be awarded if a save was made.

To back up his argument, Maignan included a link to a story from 2023 about new rules from football’s law-makers Ifab stating that goalkeepers are not allowed to do anything that “unfairly distracts the kicker” and must have at least one foot touching, in line with, or behind the goal line when the ball is kicked. Penalty takers can feint their run-up but cannot feint taking the kick once the run-up is complete.

With France’s last-16 match against Poland scheduled for Monday in Dusseldorf, Maignan hopes to put this controversy behind him and focus on helping France advance in the tournament.