Sports
‘Is He Good Enough?’ — Deschamps slams Referee after France lose to Spain
Spain secured a comfortable victory on Tuesday to book a place in the final, with Mikel Oyarzabal converting a first-half penalty before Pedro Porro doubled the lead early in the second half.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has criticised the officiating following his side’s 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Spain secured a comfortable victory on Tuesday to book a place in the final, with Mikel Oyarzabal converting a first-half penalty before Pedro Porro doubled the lead early in the second half.
France’s troubles began when Adrien Rabiot received an early yellow card, while Lucas Digne conceded the penalty after bringing down Lamine Yamal inside the box.
Reacting after the match, Deschamps questioned whether referee Ivan Burton was qualified to officiate a World Cup semi-final.
“I will ask a question… Does the referee have the necessary level to officiate a World Cup semi-final?” Deschamps said, according to football journalist Fabrizio Romano.
France struggled throughout the encounter and, for the first time at the tournament, failed to register a shot on target in the first half.
Les Bleus also created very few clear-cut opportunities, finishing the match with an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.31, according to Flashscore.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Deschamps is expected to step down as France head coach after the conclusion of the tournament, with former Real Madrid manager and France legend Zinedine Zidane widely tipped to succeed him.
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