Ethan Nwaneri endured the heartbreak of missing Marseille's decisive penalty in the French Cup
Ethan Nwaneri of Marseille
Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri missed the decisive penalty in the French Cup for Marseille(Image: Eurasia Sport Images, Getty Images)
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The French media has reacted to Ethan Nwaneri’s latest performance after the Arsenal loanee suffered a potentially season-defining blow with Marseille. Nwaneri, who joined the French giants in January on a season-long loan deal, made his seventh appearance for his new side on Wednesday night in the Coupe de France against Toulouse.
The 18-year-old midfield talent was brought on at half-time at the Stade Velodrome, with the quarter-final clash hanging in the balance at 1-1. Nwaneri almost rewarded Habib Beye’s faith in him in the 67th minute with the score tied at 2-2, as he struck the woodwork with a scuffed effort on goal.
The match would go to penalties, where the Hale End academy star awaited his spot kick. The teenager was entrusted with taking Marseille’s fifth and final penalty to take it to sudden death.
Yet, evoking memories of a young Bukayo Saka at Euro 2020, Nwaneri blazed his shot over the bar, sending Toulouse to the semi-finals and Marseille crashing out of the cup. The usually stoic youngster immediately felt the gravity of his miss and was left with his head in his hands.
That didn’t prevent a brutal response in the French media for a player who perhaps should not have taken the penalty in the first place, with more senior stars around him. L’Equipe issued Nwaneri a 4/10 match rating, describing him as the one who “let qualification slip” due to the missed penalty.
The outlet noted his lack of contribution in open play but acknowledged that he tried to raise the level after coming on. It also refused to blame the 18-year-old for taking on a responsibility that “should have fallen to others”.
Eurosport France mentioned that Marseille struggled in midfield after Himad Abdelli was replaced by the youngster. It noted how Beye’s side “lost some of its solidity in midfield against the more incisive visitors” with the change.
Get French Football News described Nwaneri missing the spot-kick as the defining moment of the game. Meanwhile, So Foot questioned why he was handed the enormous pressure of taking the fifth and final penalty.
Foot Mercato agreed, calling it a “surprising choice”. The publication said Nwaneri’s substitution didn’t bring stability to Marseille and allowed Toulouse to take control of the midfield.
Marseille's English forward #11 Ethan Nwaneri fights for the ball during the French Cup quarter final football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Toulouse FC at the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France on March 4, 2026.
Nwaneri and Marseille lost the midfield battle(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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Giving Nwaneri a match rating of 4/10, they wrote: “The substitution tended to unbalance the defensive block and open up space in midfield. The young Englishman struggled to find his footing and often played the ball backwards. He was the one who missed OM's final penalty, which proved fatal.”
It marks another brutal chapter and learning curve in Nwaneri’s short yet intense time in France. After a bright start in the white and blue of Marseille, where he scored on his debut, Nwaneri’s loan has taken a difficult turn, largely due to the chaotic situation at the club.
Just days after his debut, Nwaneri narrowly avoided the first red card of his career for a dangerously high tackle against Rennes. The manager who brought him to the club, Roberto De Zerbi, then left his role in February after a 5-0 hammering at the hands of PSG.
Under the new manager, he has been reduced to just 46 minutes of action off the bench in Ligue 1, failing to come off the bench against Strasbourg. With Marseille’s French Cup exit, it remains to be seen whether he will receive those crucial minutes in the league, which led to him being loaned out by Mikel Arteta in the first place.
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