Mike Maignan shatters 40-year French World Cup record with heroic penalty save
France goalkeeper Mike Maignan made history by saving a crucial second-half penalty against Norway, matching Hugo Lloris’s career spot-kick saves and becoming the first French keeper to achieve the feat at a World Cup since 1986.
France’s undisputed number one Mike Maignan etched his name into the record books during a clinical 4-1 victory against Norway. The AC Milan shot-stopper produced a brilliant second-half save to deny Jørgen Strand Larsen from twelve yards out.
In doing so, Maignan preserved France’s commanding momentum and secured their progression to the Round of 32 with an immaculate defensive record intact.
The historic intervention marks the first time a French goalkeeper has repelled a World Cup penalty, excluding shootouts, since Joël Bats denied Zico in 1986.
Remarkably, Maignan has now saved four of the eight penalties he has faced internationally. This incredible fifty percent success rate instantly equals the career tally of legendary former captain Hugo Lloris, who required twenty-seven attempts.
