FIFA are facing calls to suspend referee Ilgiz Tantashev after the Uzbek official failed to issue a single yellow card to Paraguay during their heated 1-0 World Cup loss to France. Supporters and pundits have condemned his performance, accusing him of neglecting player safety and failing to enforce the laws of the game.
Paraguay's physical approach goes unpunished
Paraguay committed 12 fouls during the match, with France players targeted by brutal tackles throughout. Despite the aggressive tactics, Tantashev, a FIFA-listed referee for 13 years, did not book any Paraguay player. In contrast, three French players received yellow cards. The match saw numerous flashpoints, including confrontations between players and ugly scenes after the final whistle.
BBC pundits Joe Hart and Thomas Hitzlsperger condemned Paraguay's conduct, with Hart calling them "an absolute disgrace." Hitzlsperger said he had lost all respect for the Paraguay squad. Hart added: "The fact that not one Paraguayan was booked inside the 90 minutes today is absolutely astonishing."
Fan outrage on social media
World Cup fans flooded social media with criticism, branding Tantashev "incompetent" and demanding his suspension. One fan wrote: "Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev with an extraordinary performance. No interest in refereeing, no interest in applying the laws of the game, no interest in player welfare." Another said: "That was one of the worst referee performances I have ever seen at any level." Others called for FIFA to act, with one stating: "Ilgiz Tantashev needs a red card and suspended for the rest of the World Cup."
Mbappe's composure praised
France secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a 70th-minute penalty from Kylian Mbappe, who now leads the tournament scoring charts with seven goals, level with Lionel Messi. Mbappe faced repeated provocation from Paraguay players, including a refusal to shake hands with goalkeeper Orlando Gill at full-time, who responded by throwing the ball at him. Hart defended Mbappe's behaviour, saying: "I absolutely love how he has behaved in this game... He's allowed to be arrogant because he is brilliant."
Thierry Henry hailed France's composure as a "victory for football." The 1998 World Cup winner said: "Football won. I don't want to talk about Paraguay. I want to talk about what France did. How they stayed composed. How Kylian Mbappe was laughing at the end."
Quarter-final clash with Morocco
France advance to a quarter-final meeting with Morocco, but the controversy surrounding Tantashev's officiating continues to dominate headlines. Fans and pundits alike are urging FIFA to take disciplinary action against the referee for his failure to control the match.
