Erling Haaland Deletes Viral VAR Post After France vs Morocco Penalty Delay

Erling Haaland has added his voice to the growing debate surrounding VAR at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after reacting to the lengthy review that preceded Kylian Mbappé‘s penalty against Morocco.

The Norway striker was watching France’s quarterfinal victory when referee Facundo Tello awarded a penalty for a challenge on Mbappé. Instead of allowing the kick to be taken immediately, VAR spent more than three minutes reviewing the incident before confirming the on-field decision. The delay quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the match.

Haaland shared a brief message on social media that immediately went viral.

“Need to wait 5 min to take a penalty is way too long.”

Although he later deleted the post, screenshots spread rapidly across social media, with thousands of fans agreeing that the review took far longer than expected. The discussion soon shifted away from whether the penalty itself was correct and focused instead on the efficiency of the VAR process.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane also questioned the lengthy review, arguing that forcing a player to wait several minutes before taking a penalty can affect concentration and disrupt the natural rhythm of the game.

Ironically, Mbappé went on to miss the penalty after finally being given permission to take the kick. While nobody can say the delay caused the miss, it has inevitably fuelled further discussion about whether such long reviews are beneficial for the game.

Under the IFAB VAR Protocol, every penalty is checked automatically. In this case, the VAR team decided there was no clear and obvious error in Facundo Tello’s decision, meaning there was no reason to send the referee to the pitch-side monitor. However, many fans continue to ask why a review that ended with a simple confirmation needed to last more than three minutes.

The VAR Verdict

Haaland’s reaction reflects what many supporters were thinking during the match. VAR exists to help referees make the correct decisions, but long interruptions can take momentum away from the game and create unnecessary frustration for players and fans alike.

The debate surrounding France vs Morocco is no longer just about whether the penalty was right or wrong. It is about whether football can find the right balance between accuracy and keeping the game flowing. That is a question FIFA will continue to face as the World Cup moves closer to its conclusion.