Whether or not France’s World Cup campaign ends with a third world title, few will remember Kylian Mbappe’s penalty miss in their quarter-final victory over Morocco.

The match in Foxborough was goalless when Mbappe was fouled by Noussair Mazraoui. The France captain stuttered in his run up, looked up at goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, and saw his tame penalty easily saved.

Mbappe made amends on the hour mark when his sensational curling effort broke a stubborn Morocco defence, before Ousmane Dembele doubled France’s lead six minutes later to secure a 2-0 win.

But his earlier blunder, uncharacteristic for the joint-top scorer in this tournament, begs the question: Is it time players stopped with the ‘stuttering’ penalty kicks?

In the list of things football traditionalists hate about the modern game, stuttering run ups are high up alongside players wearing gloves with short sleeve shirts, diving, and of course the video assistant referee (VAR).

There is no strict definition of a stutter, but under Fifa rules, a player is allowed to stop or feint during the run-up as long as they don’t do it directly before kicking the ball.

It’s nothing new – John Aldridge, Mexico legend Hugo Sanchez and Pele all used the stutter to gain an advantage – but it can backfire spectacularly if the goalkeeper doesn’t commit to diving early.

Mbappe joins Bruno Guimaraes, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane (though he was able to retake his penalty against Croatia, which he scored without having a stutter in his approach) in missing penalties after stuttering in the run-up.

Of the 26 ‘stutter’ penalties taken during this World Cup – penalty shootouts included – 11 have not been scored, which leads to a conversion rate of 57%.

“This stuttering penalty seems to be the one. The goalkeepers seem to have got a march on it now,” said Ian Wright on ITV.

Marko Arnautovic, Raul Jimenez, Neymar, Mbappe, Cristiano Ronalo, Yoane Wissa and Kai Havertz have used the technique successfully.

Meanwhile, 24 of the 35 ‘non-stutter’ penalties taken have been scored, a conversion rate of 68%.

In general, this has been a poor World Cup for players looking to convert from 12 yards.

A total of 30% of non-shootout penalties have been missed this summer, the second most of any World Cup since records began in 1966.

When shootout penalties are added to the equation, then the miss rate rises to 35%, the highest of any World Cup since 1966.

“There is an arms race going on. It is definitely harder to score a penalty now. The reason being, the goalkeepers are bigger now, more athletic,” former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“If your keeper goes the right way, you must hit the side netting with pace, even then it still might be saved.

“A very good penalty is no longer a certainty, so you have to re-think it. I need to make sure he goes the wrong way, hence the stutter, you try to send them the wrong way.

“Of course the goalkeepers have the data, they know what everybody does, there is no hiding what you prefer because it shows up. There is a constant running battle to figure out how you get the advantage.

“Mbappe knows what his advantage is: preparation. He has a set up [placing the ball before taking the penalty], he went through it twice today but problem is that he had to go through it three times, and the third time [he missed].”

The Minnesota Vikings welcomed about 35 new players this offseason, and before the regular season, which is about nine weeks away, you should get to know the name Charles Demmings.

The 5th-Round cornerback is turning heads in Vikings circles and leaguewide, so much so that SI.com identified him as an overlooked steal heading into training camp.

Brian Flores Has the Ideal Room for Demmings to Develop

Justin Melo: You Cannot Overlook Demmings

Melo of SI.com sized up one overlooked rookie from each position, with Demmings getting the nod at cornerback.

“Charles Demmings became the first Stephen F. Austin player in Senior Bowl history. He was outstanding in Mobile, proving he could compete with wide receivers from bigger programs. He’s foot 6-foot-1 with terrific length (32-inch arms) and a competitive streak with incredible toughness and desire,” Melo wrote.

“Demmings wants to play press-man coverage and possesses the feet and mirroring skills necessary to thrive in man-to-man looks.”

How’d Demmings land with the Vikings? Well, last summer, Minnesota sent quarterback Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles in a deal involving a 5th-Round pick. That turned out to be Demmings when it was all said and done.

A Perfect CB Room to Shine

Are the Vikings’ current cornerbacks good? Yes — but not stellar. The group is headlined by Byron Murphy Jr., who reached the Pro Bowl in 2024, Isaiah Rodgers, one of the fastest players in the NFL, and newcomer James Pierre, who fired up an 86.8 Pro Football Focus grade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025.

Those three form a solid cornerback unit and one that defensive coordinator Brian Flores will unleash successfully. Yet, for a hungry rookie like Demmings, the pecking order is not insurmountable. In fact, Demmings is one injury away from showtime, and because of his age and upside, could grab a CB1, CB2, or CB3 job and make it his own.

The Vikings are also wildly overdue to connect on an organically drafted cornerback. The last productive ones were Xavier Rhodes in 2013, Trae Waynes in 2015, and Mackensie Alexander in 2016. A guy like Demmings could end the madness.

The Scouting Report

Here’s how NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein scouted Demmings earlier this year: “Demmings is capable of mixing into a variety of coverages but is at his best starting from a press look. He has the hips/feet to match route breaks and the speed to stay with routes as they unfold.”

“His recognition and instincts are average from off coverages and he can be a step slow to drive on throws in front of him. While Demmings lacks ideal play strength and is not a firm tackler, his ball skills and man-cover consistency could land him a roster spot as a future CB4 with gunner potential.”

For comparisons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Zyon McCollum is arguably the best for Demmings. Both entered the league as long, explosive FCS corners with exceptional testing numbers and a proven ability to make plays on the ball. McCollum took some time to develop into a solid NFL starter. Demmings could follow a similar path, beginning on special teams before earning an opportunity to play outside corner for Minnesota.

Demmings could also reasonably be compared to Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor.

Not the First Bit of Hype

After the draft, former NFLer Louis Riddick name-dropped Demmings as an undercover rookie who could bust out.

The Athletic‘s Dane Brugler also noted on Demmings, “Day 3 pick who could surprise: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin. Aside from Demmings always being a great quote, he leaves everything he has on the field. With his cover athleticism and mental toughness, Demmings was a worthy bet in the fifth round, and he landed with a team that needed cornerback depth.”

So, if you’re keeping score of the Demmings hype train at home, that’s Louis Riddick, Dane Brugler, and Justin Melo.

Our Brevan Bane even declared a couple of weeks ago: “Charles Demmings is the future CB1 of the Vikings. I fully expect Demmings to be the CB4 behind Murphy Jr., Rodgers Sr., and Pierre. This means that Demmings would get a decent little amount of reps on the field. There will also likely be reps for Demmings on special teams as a gunner.”

“Demmings has all the tools to become a starter one day, and Minnesota got him in the fifth round. Sure, it’s a long shot to predict something as crazy as this, but I don’t think it’s that crazy. When you do this job, you have to choose your hills, and this seems like a nice one to die on.”

Demmings turned 23 in April.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals with a composed 2-0 victory over Morocco, overcoming a resilient first-half display from the Atlas Lions before Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele produced the decisive moments after the break.

The reigning runners-up had to work much harder than the final scoreline suggests. Morocco frustrated Didier Deschamps’ side for long periods, thanks largely to an inspired performance from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who repeatedly denied the French attack in the opening 45 minutes.

With the win, France reached the World Cup semifinals for a third consecutive edition and will now face Spain/Belgium for a place in the final.

Bono keeps Morocco alive in a dramatic first half

France dominated possession from the opening whistle and nearly broke the deadlock within minutes. Mbappe tested Bounou from distance before Dayot Upamecano was denied from the resulting corner as the Moroccan goalkeeper produced two stunning saves in quick succession.

Morocco continued to absorb pressure before France were awarded a penalty midway through the first half after Mbappe was brought down inside the area. However, Bounou once again came to his side’s rescue, diving to his left to keep out the French captain’s effort after a lengthy VAR delay before the spot kick was taken.

Mbappe makes amends with trademark brilliance

France finally found the breakthrough in the 60th minute and it came from the player Morocco had worked tirelessly to contain.

Picking up possession on the edge of the box, Mbappe shifted the ball onto his stronger foot before curling an unstoppable strike into the top corner, leaving Bounou with no chance despite another otherwise outstanding display.

The goal was Mbappe’s eighth of the tournament and further strengthened his challenge for the Golden Boot while once again underlining his reputation as a big-game player.

Dembele seals the result

Morocco attempted to respond but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against France’s disciplined defensive structure.

Five minutes after Mbappe’s opener, Ousmane Dembele effectively ended the contest. The winger collected possession just outside the box before drilling a low effort into the bottom corner to double France’s advantage.

Didier Deschamps later withdrew Mbappe with around 15 minutes remaining after the forward signalled some discomfort, although he appeared in good spirits on the bench and joined his teammates’ celebrations after full-time.

France eye another World Cup final

The victory reinforced France’s status as one of the tournament favourites. While Morocco once again demonstrated its defensive organisation and resilience, the individual quality of France’s frontline ultimately proved decisive.

Les Bleus have now reached the last four of three consecutive World Cups and remain firmly on course for another appearance in the final.

For Morocco, the defeat ends another memorable campaign, while France moves one step closer to lifting a third World Cup title.

France defeated Morocco 2-0 in a hard-fought quarter-final encounter, with Mbappé opening the scoring after initially missing a penalty in the first half.

Mbappe curled in his eighth goal of the tournament on 60 minutes before Dembele doubled Les Bleus‘ lead six minutes later to settle a clinical victory at the Gillette Stadium outside Boston.

The win sends the 2018 champions into a last-four showdown against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday.

The Atlas Lions had been tipped to pose a serious threat to France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Argentina pull off stunning comeback as Egypt protest refereeing

But Didier Deschamps‘ men were always in control against a limited Morocco side who failed to register a single shot on goal until an 83rd minute free-kick by Azzedine Ounahi was parried away by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

France though struggled to find a breakthrough, and missed the opportunity to take the lead on 28 minutes when Mbappe saw a penalty saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Mbappe had won the penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui but was forced to wait several minutes before being allowed to take the kick after a protracted VAR check.

Resilient Bounou

Morocco managed to hold out to half-time but it was always only a matter of time before France’s relentless pressure paid off.

The breakthrough came on the hour mark, with Mbappe bending a brilliant right-foot shot past a resilient Bounou from the edge of the area.

Paris Saint-Germain star Dembele made the game safe in the 66th minute, striding forward menacingly from midfield before steering a low finish into the bottom corner.

Watch more‘Kylian, forgive us’: How the World Cup turned Mbappé’s reputation around

France now await the winner of Friday’s quarter-final in Los Angeles between European champions Spain and Belgium.

Spain, who have not conceded a single goal so far, eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal in the last 16 and will fancy their chances of overcoming Belgium, who thrashed United States 4-1 to reach the last eight.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

UFC 329 is fast approaching, but before the fighters walk to the Octagon, they will take part in a final pre-event press conference on Thursday night. The fighters, including headliners Conor McGregor and Max Holloway, will trade final verbal barbs before weighing in on Friday and fighting on Saturday.

The UFC 329 fight card is the headline attraction for UFC’s annual “International Fight Week,” which historically features massive headline fights. UFC is delivering on that history with the bout between two of the promotion’s biggest stars in Holloway and McGregor. McGregor will be fighting for the first time since snapping his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy in 2021, while Holloway is looking to rebound from losing the symbolic “BMF” title to Charles Oliveira in his last outing. This bout also takes place at welterweight, McGregor’s third fight at the weight and Holloway’s debut at 170 pounds.

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC 329 live for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

The two previously fought in 2013, with McGregor taking a clear decision victory before both men went on to become icons and legends of the sport.

“The Notorious” Conor McGregor — career in focus

The annual International Fight Week set up has plenty to offer for fans of MMA this weekend. Look no further than the co-main event where Paddy Pimblett looks to bounce back against Benoit Saint Denis. Pimblett suffered his first UFC defeat in January at the hands of Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight crown. Now, that loss has aged great as Gaethje took the full title off of Ilia Topuria in June. He’ll need everything he can muster against Saint Denis, a top-five contender who himself has bounced back from a pair of 2024 defeats to rip off four straight wins.

A McGregor press conference is always an occasion, with the Irishman never hesitating to drop a quote, many of which have become longstanding MMA memes, so you won’t want to miss this one.

Get in on the action for UFC 329 with our new UFC Pick’em game on the CBS Sports App. Pick your fights and compete to win $5000, picks close this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET

Where to watch the UFC 329 press conference

Date: July 9
Location: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas
Start time: 10 p.m. ET
Watch live: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as low as $8.99 per month), UFC Fight Pass and YouTube)

Before the game against Morocco, former England striker Ian Wright called Deschamps’ side “one of the most clear favourites for a World Cup tournament I have ever seen”.

After a dominant victory in Boston, in which France had 22 attempts compared to only five from Morocco, who had their only shot on target in the 83rd minute, Wright remained impressed.

“It is difficult to see the weakness,” said Wright. “If Spain get through they have the quality to maybe pass through them and maybe the pace of Lamine Yamal to try and punish them, but France look imperious. Then you have got individual brilliance.”

As well as Mbappe and Dembele, France also have plenty of further attacking options in their squad, including Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, Paris St-Germain pair Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue, Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

At the opposite end, France have now only conceded two goals in six games – late on in a 3-1 win over Senegal and once in the 4-1 victory over Norway, albeit a side that had rested most of their first 11 having already qualified for the knockout phases.

“France have got more gears to go,” said former Manchester United captain Roy Keane. “France were so much better in every aspect of the game, but it doesn’t mean they cannot be beaten.

“France are in a great place. You have your attacking players scoring goals and your individual players going past people. Any chance of beating France you have got to score the first goal. Even if they get the first goal, teams have to come at them, and they will pick you off for fun.”

Sugar Ray Leonard has the honour of being the only member of the ‘Four Kings’ to successfully defeat the other three.

Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran were key figures in the sport throughout the 1980s, as the quartet of fighters competed in iconic battles against one another.

While Leonard defeated his three rivals, he did also suffer a loss to Duran, with the Panamanian claiming a unanimous decision win at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal in June 1980.

The pair had an immediate rematch later that year, with Leonard inflicting his revenge as he secured an eighth round stoppage victory.

It is that triumph that Leonard views as his best, after he explained in a resurfaced clip why it meant so much to him.

“Duran the second fight [was my favourite win]. What happened in the first fight was he took me out of my game plan, he got into my head so I tried to beat him at his own game and fight him toe to toe.

“I knew right from the start but it didn’t register hard enough to say ‘Ray, you can’t beat him this way, you’ve got to box him.’ By the time I realised it was the 10th round, 12th round. He hit me so many times so hard, I’m hurting right now just thinking about it.

“I seriously contemplated retirement. I went to Hawaii with my wife to get away from it and I was running on the sand every morning and people would say ‘if you would box him you would beat him.’ I called my trainer and said I want to fight Duran ASAP. We had the fight scheduled five months later, the magnitude of big fights that doesn’t happen for a year or years.”

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Leonard ended his career with a record of 36 wins from 40 fights, with his only other blemishes coming when he drew with Hearns in June 1989, before a defeat to Terry Norris in 1991, and a further loss to Hector Camacho after coming out of retirement in 1997.

Jaron Ennis threw down the gauntlet to the other super-welterweight world champions when he captured the unified 154lb crown with a knockout win over Xander Zayas last month, and now female boxing icon Claressa Shields has predicted how a unification clash between Ennis and Sebastian Fundora would play out.

Ennis became a two-division unified world champion when he halted Zayas after six rounds on June 27, opening the door to potential showdowns with Fundora, Josh Kelly and a long-awaited scrap with Vergil Ortiz Jr, despite the Texan not holding a title.

It is expected that Kelly will defend his IBF super-welterweight crown against Caiomhin Agyarko on Anthony Joshua’s undercard later this month, whilst recent rumours suggest that talks for a fight between Ennis and WBC ruler, Fundora, are ongoing.

Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Shields praised Ennis for his performance against Zayas, but warned that there were a couple of mistakes made that could be punished in a unification affair against ‘The Towering Inferno’.

“Had Boots quit against Xander, they would be calling Boots a quitter, but because Xander got stopped or quit against Boots they all like ‘oh, he got so much heart’. Be fair. Give Boots his dues. Right now, at 154lbs, he is the man. 

“A big challenge for him will be Fundora. Fundora is a big challenge for anybody because of how long he is and his height, but Boots has enough in his arsenal, I feel, to beat Fundora, but he has got to be very, very smart. 

“He can’t make the same mistakes that he made, getting hit with that straight jab and that right against Zayas, he can’t do that with Fundora. Cannot. Will not. He cannot do that. Also, he cannot do that fighting on wobbly legs either.  

“The only thing that he did wrong, for me, was fighting after that. Him fighting on wobbly legs, he should have moved around, jabbed, whatever. Be smart.”

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Ennis-Fundora is being mooted for either November or December, and boxing great Terence Crawford has revealed how he thinks that could play out.

Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

LONDON–Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova saved a match point to reach her first Wimbledon final with a pulsating three-set win against Coco Gauff on Thursday.

Muchova held her nerve in a gripping final set tie-break, winning 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10) in two hours and 35 minutes in searing temperatures on Centre Court.

READ: Karolina Muchova wins Bad Homburg after Naomi Osaka injury

In the final, Muchova will face Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova or Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, who meet in the other semi-final later on Thursday.

Muchova is into her second Grand Slam final and her first since finishing as the 2023 French Open runner-up.

In her first Wimbledon semi-final, Muchova exorcised the ghosts of her previous dismal experiences in south-west London.

The 29-year-old had lost in the first round on her previous four appearances at Wimbledon.

Gauff had won six of her seven previous meetings with Muchova, but the Czech won their most recent encounter in Stuttgart this year and once again she got the better of the two-time Grand Slam champion.

“It sounds really nice to be in the final. It was such a big fight. You are up and down, no time to think but it was very nerve-wracking,” Muchova said.

After battling injuries earlier in her career, Muchova is finally fulfilling her potential, but even she has been taken aback by her success at Wimbledon over the last fortnight.

Muchova takes “pills, sprays, eyedrops” to manage a grass allergy, but she is no longer adverse to playing on the lawns of the All England Club.

Gripping finale

Karolina Muchova of Czech Republic, right, hugs Coco Gauff of the United States after winning their women’s singles semifinal match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

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Muchova is at last unimpeded after suffering a multitude of injuries in recent years, including problems with her right wrist, left wrist, abdomen, back, thigh, ankle and foot.

In 2022, doctors told Muchova that it would be a good idea for her to quit tennis altogether, while in 2023 and 2024 right wrist surgery sidelined her for 10 months.

Now she is just one win away from a maiden Grand Slam title.

Gauff, seeded seventh, had struggled badly with her serve for much of the tournament and has the most double faults on the women’s tour this year.

Muchova took advantage of that glaring flaw to break in the third game of the first set and again in the fifth.

The Czech sealed the set with an ace, sending Gauff scurrying to the sanctuary of the locker room to compose herself.

Gauff had 12 unforced errors in the first set, but in keeping with her tenacious character, she hit back with a dominant second set that could not have been more different to her spluttering start.

Steadying her serve and playing with far more purpose and intensity, she broke for a 3-1 lead and emphatically closed out the set to force a decider.

The final set was a nerve-jangling battle, with break points saved by both players as the tension mounted and Muchova appearing to suffer an abdominal injury.

Muchova had a flawless record in tie-breaks this year, a run she maintained in style, diving full length to volley a stunning winner that even Gauff was forced to applaud.

Muchova was given a time violation for delaying her serve at 8-8 and the warning rattled the Czech, who blazed a forehand long to give Gauff a match point.

But Gauff let Muchova off the hook with a weak drop shot into the net.

Muchova floated a sublime lob over Gauff to bring up a match point but she slipped at the net as the American hammered a winner past her.

Undeterred, Muchova kept the pressure on Gauff and finally closed out the most memorable win of her career.