We are just two games away from crowning a champion at the 2026 World Cup, and officiating remains one of the tournament’s biggest talking points. Following France‘s semifinal clash against Spain, Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps publicly questioned the performance of referee Ivan Barton, drawing a sharp, direct response from FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina.
“In response to Didier Deschamps’ comments questioning whether our match referee was at the level to officiate the semifinal, FIFA’s response is clear: ‘Yes, definitely.’ Our referees are world class,“ Collina said in a statement shared across FIFA’s official social media channels.
Deschamps, whose future at the helm of the French national team remains highly uncertain after missing out on back-to-back World Cup finals, was visibly frustrated by the semifinal exit. The defeat capped off a tournament where France struggled to find the cohesive, dominant form expected of them.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe also voiced his immense disappointment over France’s abrupt exit from the final. Following the semifinal loss to Spain, the French squad must now regroup to face England in the third-place playoff match, which has its date and venue officially locked in.
Not the first time Collina has defended World Cup officials
This is far from the first refereeing controversy to dominate headlines during this World Cup cycle. Earlier in the tournament, Collina was forced to publicly back his officiating crew following a highly contentious Round of 16 fixture between Egypt and Argentina.
Several other high-profile matches have drawn sharp criticism from managers, players, and pundits alike. Notably, after England eliminated Norway in the quarterfinals, Erling Haaland’s father, Alfie Haaland, took to social media to heavily imply that officiating played a major role in securing the Three Lions’ victory.
Rodri weighs in on semifinal officiating
Deschamps wasn’t the only figure pointing fingers after the semifinal. Spain midfielder Rodri, while praising the standout performance of teammate Lamine Yamal, also noted several missed calls and unpenalized fouls by Barton that went unaddressed during the physical matchup.
With the drama of the semifinals in the rearview mirror, supporters from both Spain and Argentina are shifting their focus to the officiating assignment for the upcoming final. As the crew is finalized, the soccer world awaits the highly anticipated climax to an unforgettable World Cup in North America.
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