2026 World Cup: Mike Maignan Brings a Smile to Milan’s Face—A 40-Year Curse Broken
There’s also a reason for Milan to smile at the 2026 World Cup. It was Mike Maignan who indirectly gave the Rossoneri something to smile about as well; on Friday night, he was one of the stars of France’s 4-1 rout of Norway, which saw France finish atop Group I. But that’s not all: the French goalkeeper broke a real taboo that had persisted for a full 40 years.
In the 50th minute of the match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough (not far from Boston), Maignan managed to stop a penalty kick by Strand Larsen. In its own way, this was a small yet significant milestone: no French goalkeeper had ever saved a penalty kick during regulation time or even extra time at a World Cup. The last to do so was Joel Bats in 1986, when he successfully stopped none other than Zico in the quarterfinals against Brazil. It was also a great source of satisfaction for Milan itself, whose goalkeepers have rarely distinguished themselves at the World Cup in recent decades. Ousted by fierce competition, the great No. 1s of the ’60s, ’70s (Albertosi didn’t join the Rossoneri until later), and ’80s (the same goes for Giovanni Galli) were sidelined; not even players like Sebastiano Rossi and Christian Abbiati found a spot on the Azzurri. The story was different for Dida, the starter at the 2006 World Cup in Germany—though he never saved a penalty kick.
Maignan’s performance was part of a clear and convincing victory for Les Bleus, achieved under unusual circumstances: Head coach Didier Deschamps was absent from the bench, forced to return to France following the passing of his mother, Ginette, who died at the age of 86. Assistant coach Guy Stephan took the reins, guiding the French team with a steady hand to first place in the group. It was a remarkable display of collective maturity.
The true star of the evening was Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, who scored a hat trick that effectively dashed Norway’s hopes. The PSG forward opened the scoring in the 7th minute off an assist from Mbappé, doubled the lead in the 20th minute with a solo effort, and then sealed the hat trick in the 32nd minute off a pass from Tchouameni. Desiré Doué sealed the victory in the 94th minute on an assist from Barcola. Mbappé himself, despite not finding the net, reaffirmed his role as a leader: the captain of Les Bleus heads into the Round of 16 with 16 total goals in World Cup history, ranking second all-time, just two goals behind Lionel Messi, who leads the standings with 18 goals.
Beyond the World Cup celebrations, however, Maignan’s future with the Rossoneri remains shrouded in uncertainty. The goalkeeper renewed his contract through 2031 just last season, but the sweeping changes underway at Milanello—with the departures of Furlani, Moncada, Tare, and Allegri and the subsequent appointment of Ruben Amorim as the new head coach—have shaken things up. Chelsea, which had already tried unsuccessfully to sign him in the summer of 2025, is ready to make another push. Amorim has reportedly already called Maignan personally to reassure him of his central role in the new project, emphasizing the club’s ambitions to return to winning ways in Italy and Europe.
Further food for thought for the Rossoneri’s No. 16 came from a social media post by Claudio Filippi, the longtime goalkeeper coach linked to Allegri, who wrote on Instagram: “After just one year, my adventure at Milan—a glorious club supported by extraordinary fans—comes to an end. To Mike, Pietro, Lorenzo, and Matteo, I extend my most sincere thanks and best wishes for a future full of success.” A very strong bond had formed between Filippi and Maignan, built day by day on the field, and his departure could weigh heavily on the goalkeeper’s final decision. Meanwhile, owner Gerry Cardinale, with Amorim’s full consent, has clearly expressed his desire to keep him along with other stars on the roster. The coming weeks will be decisive: so far, the World Cup is working in his favor in the best possible way.
