World Cup soccer: Was the referee good enough, asks France coach Didier Deschamps

France's head coach Didier Deschamps expressed disappointment with the referee's performance following his team's World Cup semifinal defeat. Spain dominated the match, securing a 2-0 victory.

During the post-match press conference, Deschamps questioned the suitability of the referee, Ivan Barton, for a World Cup semifinal. "I will ask a question to which I will not answer," Deschamps stated, according to L'Equipe. "Was the referee good enough to officiate a World Cup semifinal? I'm not saying this because we lost. However, there were certain situations that were often unfavorable to us."

Barton, 35, officiated his fourth World Cup match in the semifinal. The article notes instances where the referee appeared hesitant, such as forgetting his spray bottle at the start of the game. A pivotal moment occurred in the 20th minute when Barton awarded Spain a penalty, converted by Mikel Oyarzabal for the winning goal. This penalty followed a challenge by Lucas Digne on Lamine Yamal, where the ball also struck Yamal's hand. Referee experts interviewed by L'Equipe, however, deemed Barton's decision correct, a view also supported by the video assistant referee.

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I will ask a question to which I will not answer. Was the referee good enough to officiate a World Cup semifinal? I'm not saying this because we lost. However, there were certain situations that were often unfavorable to us.

Confusion also arose in another situation where Barton initially signaled a free kick for France but later changed it to a Spanish free kick. Despite these perceived officiating issues, Deschamps also urged realism. "We have to be realistic and admit that we were technically a step behind our opponent, who knew what they were doing. We are responsible for the defeat," he commented, according to French media.

France is now set to compete in the third-place playoff. Deschamps' tenure as Les Bleus' coach will conclude after this match, his last in charge.

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We have to be realistic and admit that we were technically a step behind our opponent, who knew what they were doing. We are responsible for the defeat.