France manager Didier Deschamps has openly questioned FIFA's choice of referee Ivan Barton for his side's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain, following a contentious penalty decision that he believes influenced the outcome. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secured Spain's place in the final against either England or Argentina, dashing France's hopes of a second consecutive World Cup title under Deschamps.
Deschamps' Fury Over Penalty Decision
The 57-year-old was visibly angered by Barton's decision to award Spain a first-half penalty after Lucas Digne made contact with Lamine Yamal while attempting to clear the ball. In his post-match press conference, Deschamps challenged reporters to assess whether Barton was capable of officiating such a high-stakes match. “There is obviously a lot of disappointment,” Deschamps said. “The players are devastated because we had high ambitions. Although we have to be realistic and acknowledge that today we were a step below technically against a team that knew what they were doing. It’s primarily our fault.”
He continued: “Then I ask a question, and I’m not going to answer it: 'Is the referee good enough to officiate a World Cup semi-final?' We’ve had a few of those situations, and I’m not going to answer them. And I’m not saying this because we lost today, but there have been certain situations… often unfavourable to us, too.”
Deschamps' Broader Criticism
In a separate interview, Deschamps elaborated on his frustrations without directly accusing Barton of bias. “I’m not going to dwell on it because otherwise I’ll sound like a crybaby. Is the referee up to the standard of officiating a World Cup semi-final? That’s for you to decide. I had fourth and fifth place referees next to me who were just as good. It’s not just the penalty, it’s a combination of factors. We’ve had more or less complicated situations in other matches. I have nothing against tonight’s referee, but ask yourselves the question.”
Despite his grievances, Deschamps acknowledged his team's shortcomings. “But the main reason is that we were a bit below par and less dangerous offensively than we could have been. We made a few technical errors and missed passes that could have led to situations and chances. We have to accept it, this is the highest level, even if it hurts. It was the last step before this potential final… so we’ll play the third-place match. We’ll play it, it doesn’t take anything away from what we’ve achieved. But in this match, Spain showed something extra.”
Spain Coach De La Fuente Responds
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente dismissed Deschamps' complaints, suggesting that refereeing decisions often balance out over time. “Well, when things don’t go our way, we can always find some excuse. I have certainly had some difficult times with the refereeing, too. At times, it has reminded us of the match against Uruguay and I think that the referee’s leniency has something to do with it. I believe that you have to keep an eye on games and not let them get out of hand. But if that’s how it is, then we’ve both suffered. I don’t think at all that it was the complete opposite. In fact, they ruled out a goal and some very close situations, especially in some offside actions. But anyway, I’m not in a position to think about the referee right now. What I would like is for everyone to obviously improve, from referees to VAR to us, everyone who makes football, that we all become a little better every day.”
Impact and Aftermath
France will now face the loser of the other semi-final between England and Argentina in the third-place match. The defeat ends Deschamps' bid to win a second World Cup as manager, having led France to victory in 2018. The controversy over the referee's performance is likely to fuel ongoing debates about officiating standards at major tournaments.
