World Cup 2026: Didier Deschamps Takes Aim at Referee After France Lose to Spain
- Didier Deschamps has criticised the France vs Spain referee, suggesting the official was not up to the demands of the high-stakes match
- Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro ended Les Bleus' hopes of reaching a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final
- Meanwhile, Deschamps has confirmed he will step down as France head coach, with Zinedine Zidane widely expected to take over
Didier Deschamps has questioned whether referee Iván Barton was the right official to handle a World Cup semi-final after France's 2-0 defeat to Spain on July 14.
The France boss stopped short of directly accusing the Salvadoran referee of influencing the result but suggested the occasion may have demanded a higher level of officiating.
Source: Getty Images
Deschamps saw his hopes of reaching a third successive World Cup final come to a crashing end in Texas, as Spain produced a controlled performance to secure victory.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Lucas Digne brought down Lamine Yamal inside the area before Pedro Porro doubled Spain's advantage after the break.
Deschamps questions referee after France defeat
Speaking after the match, Deschamps was careful with his words but raised concerns about Barton's display. He said, as quoted by rfi:
"I'll ask a loaded question, and I won't answer it."
"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."
Watch the video of Deschamps' criticism of referee Barton, as shared on X:
However, the French coach also refused to hide from his team's shortcomings and admitted Spain were the better side on the night.
"Of course, there is a lot of disappointment," he said.
"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."
France struggled to create meaningful chances throughout the contest. According to FotMob, they registered 10 shots, with only three finding the target and an expected goals figure of just 0.3.
Who is Ivan Barton?
Barton, 35, has been a FIFA-approved referee since 2018 and has gained experience in major CONCACAF competitions, including the Gold Cup and Nations League.
According to Diario AS, the semi-final clash was also not his first World Cup assignment, having officiated matches during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
What's next for Didier Deschamps?
For France, the defeat marked a rare setback in World Cup knockout football.
Excluding penalty shootout defeats, it was only their second elimination in their last 23 knockout matches decided in normal or extra time.
Instead of preparing for a third consecutive World Cup final, the 2018 champions will now contest the third-place playoff against the loser of the England versus Argentina semi-final.
The match will also mark Deschamps' final appearance as France coach, with former captain Zinedine Zidane widely expected to take over after the tournament.
Mbappé explains why France lost to Spain
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Kylian Mbappé explained why France suffered defeat against Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-final.
The France captain admitted his team made too many technical mistakes and failed to execute their pressing strategy.
Source: YEN.com.gh
