FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, has strongly defended the officiating team following France’s 2-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup semi-final, after French manager Didier Deschamps raised concerns about the referee’s performance. The Les Bleus boss expressed disappointment post-match, suggesting that the standard of officiating in such a crucial encounter had fallen short of expectations.

Deschamps questions Barton’s performance

Following France’s semi-final loss in Texas, Deschamps was candid in his criticism of the refereeing. His frustration was mainly directed at Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton, particularly over a first-half penalty decision that allowed Spain to take the lead. Mikel Oyarzabal successfully converted from the spot after Barton ruled that Lucas Digne had fouled Lamine Yamal inside the box.

Speaking to journalists, Deschamps tried to balance his remarks but didn’t hide his doubts about the officiating quality. “If I say anything, I’ll look like a sore loser because we lost,” the 57-year-old coach said. “But I ask you: is the referee up to the task of officiating a semi-final? There’s the penalty, but that’s not all; it adds to everything else. I have nothing against the referee tonight, but ask yourselves the question.”

FIFA chief responds to Deschamps

FIFA swiftly addressed Deschamps’ comments. Collina, the former Italian referee and current chief of FIFA’s refereeing department, stood firmly in support of Barton and his team. He rejected any suggestion that the officiating crew lacked the competence required for one of the tournament’s most high-profile matches.

“In response to Didier Deschamps’ remarks questioning whether the referee had the level to handle a semi-final, FIFA’s position is clear: ‘Yes, definitely,’” Collina declared. He emphasised that the selection process for such matches is highly stringent, adding, “Our referees are world class.”

Deschamps challenges referee decisions over key incidents

Deschamps’ discontent stemmed from several controversial first-half calls. In the 22nd minute, Barton awarded Spain a penalty after Digne made contact with Yamal inside the area. The French manager argued that Yamal had handled the ball in the build-up, but the decision stood following a VAR review. His frustration deepened in the 43rd minute when Barton overturned a free-kick initially awarded to France outside the box for a foul by Fabián Ruiz on Ousmane Dembele. After consulting his assistant, Barton reversed his call—an unusual move, according to Deschamps, given that both the fourth and fifth officials had originally agreed with France’s claim. The French coach later criticised what he described as an “accumulation” of unfavourable decisions, lamenting Barton’s leniency as Spain avoided yellow cards for several rough challenges, including a dangerous tackle by Yamal.

Tactical shortcomings and technical errors

While officiating controversies dominated the post-match discussion, the French squad also reflected on their own shortcomings. France struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined and efficient Spanish side, creating few clear chances until late in the game. Deschamps conceded that his team had fallen short of the standard required to reach a third consecutive final.

“To have any hope, we needed to be at our best,” Deschamps admitted. “Unfortunately, we weren’t. Spain defended extremely well and left us very little space. With our technical errors, it became difficult to cause them problems. Our technical level was below what we’d shown in previous matches.”