FIFA defends semifinal referee after France’s Deschamps questions officiating

By Rohan Gupta — 15 July 2026 — 3 min read

FIFA‘s director of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, has defended Salvadoran official Ivan Barton following criticism from outgoing France coach Didier Deschamps. Deschamps publicly questioned the referee’s capability after France’s 2-0 defeat to Spain in a World Cup semifinal match in Arlington, Texas.

Deschamps expressed his concerns about the officiating, particularly regarding a penalty decision, but acknowledged that openly criticising the referee might make him appear as a “sore loser.” He invited observers to consider whether the referee was truly equipped to officiate a semifinal match.

Collina, a former World Cup final referee, responded directly to Deschamps’ query about Barton’s suitability. He affirmed that the referee was “absolutely” up to the task, stating, “Our referees are world class.”

Controversial Penalty Decision

The primary point of contention revolved around a penalty awarded to Spain during the first half of the match. Referee Barton judged Lucas Digne‘s challenge on Lamine Yamal inside the box to be a foul. Mikel Oyarzabal converted the penalty, giving Spain the lead.

Spain later secured their victory with a second goal from Pedro Porro in the second half. This incident was not the first time Collina has had to defend officials during the tournament; he previously supported a referee after a controversial match involving Egypt and Argentina.

Deschamps confirmed his departure as France manager after 14 years following the defeat to Spain. His questions regarding the officiating remain unanswered as his team prepares for the bronze medal match.

Mbappe’s Assessment of France’s Performance

France captain Kylian Mbappe openly criticised his team’s tactical and technical shortcomings following their 2-0 FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. This loss ended France’s bid for a third consecutive final appearance.

Mbappe highlighted failures in communication during the press and noted that his team was outnumbered in midfield. He stated that France “fell well short” of the required standards for a World Cup semi-final.

Spain secured their place in the final with goals from Oyarzabal and Porro, demonstrating control over possession and tempo throughout the match. This result means that for the first time since 2018, France will not feature in the World Cup final.

Reflecting on the defeat, Mbappe acknowledged that France failed both tactically and technically against a Spanish side that effectively controlled the midfield through Rodri and Fabian Ruiz. He observed that Spain’s midfielders had ample time to play due to France being outnumbered.

Mbappe revealed that France had intended to implement a high press to disrupt Spain’s build-up, but this plan did not materialize. He emphasized that when a team fails to execute its strategy in a World Cup semi-final, victory becomes elusive.

The captain also critiqued his team’s execution in possession, noting that careless play prevented France from capitalizing on their limited opportunities. He admitted that France was “too sloppy technically” to hurt their opponents.

Spain took the lead in the 22nd minute after Yamal earned a penalty, which Oyarzabal converted. France’s challenges were compounded when defender William Saliba was forced off due to injury before halftime.

Despite substitutions made by Deschamps, Spain doubled their advantage after the hour mark when Porro exchanged passes with Dani Olmo before scoring past Mike Maignan. Although France created some threats through Aurelien Tchouameni and Mbappe, Spain’s defense held firm, achieving its sixth clean sheet in seven matches at the tournament.

Mbappe, who entered the semi-final with eight goals, was unable to add to his tally. As captain, he accepted full responsibility for the collective disappointment, stating, “We wanted to go to the final. We didn’t go.”

France will now compete in the third-place playoff against the loser of the semifinal match between Argentina and England on Saturday in Miami. Spain will advance to chase their second FIFA World Cup title.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com