Didier Deschamps Fires Shots At Referee After France's Defeat To Spain: 'Is He At The Level Needed?'
Didier Deschamps Fires Shots At Referee After France's Defeat To Spain: 'Is He At The Level Needed?' Published By, Last Updated: July 15, 2026, 04:50
Didier Deschamps Fires Shots At Referee After France's Defeat To Spain: 'Is He At The Level Needed?' Published By, Last Updated: July 15, 2026, 04:50 IST Didier Deschamps admitted France were second best against Spain but questioned whether the referee was up to World Cup semi-final standard after their title hopes ended. Rapid Read France head coach Didier Deschamps (AP) France coach Didier Deschamps admitted Spain were simply too good after Les Bleus crashed out of the FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 semi-final defeat, but couldn’t resist taking a swipe at referee Ivan Barton in the aftermath. France arrived in Arlington as the tournament’s most feared attacking side, having scored 16 goals in six matches while drawing comparisons to some of the greatest World Cup teams in history. But Luis de la Fuente’s Spain shut them down completely, controlling possession, frustrating Kylian Mbappé and ending France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
“Of course, there is a lot of disappointment," Deschamps said after the final whistle. “The players are devastated because we had a lot of ambition, even though we also have to be realistic and acknowledge that today we were a notch below on the technical level against a team that controlled the game well. “But first of all, it’s our fault. I don’t want to blame anyone." Spain took control after Mikel Oyarzabal converted an early penalty following Lucas Digne’s foul on Lamine Yamal before Pedro Porro sealed the result with a stunning second-half strike. Despite acknowledging France’s shortcomings, Deschamps questioned whether Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton was the right official for a World Cup semi-final. “I’ll ask a loaded question and I won’t answer it," he said. “Is the referee at the level required to officiate a World Cup semi-final? “And I’m not saying this just because we lost today. There were quite a few situations.
There were some favourable calls, too." Later, the outgoing France boss doubled down. “If I say anything, I’ll sound like a crybaby because we lost," Deschamps said. “But I ask you whether the referee is up to the task of officiating a semi-final. “There’s the penalty, but it’s not just that, it comes on top of everything else. I have nothing against the referee tonight, but ask yourselves the question." Deschamps ultimately accepted that Spain deserved their place in Sunday’s final. “We were technically inferior. It’s our fault," he said. “There were some technical errors, passes that could have led to chances. This is the very highest level, even if it hurts. “I don’t want to dismiss everything that’s been done, but in this match, Spain showed something extra." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered Could referee performance affect future tournament selections?
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