Goalkeeper Mike Maignan of France is expressing his frustration with the penalty rules after being penalized for coming off his line too early while saving a spot-kick at Euro 2024. Despite successfully stopping a penalty from Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, Maignan was penalized because he had strayed off his line before the ball was kicked. 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 express 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 in case of a save. The goalkeeper also included a link to a story from 2023 about new rules from football’s law-makers Ifab, which stated 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.
Maignan has 19 caps and is participating in his first major tournament for France after Hugo Lloris retired. France’s last-16 match will be held in Dusseldorf on Monday, with their opponents to be determined after Wednesday’s final group games.
