France's coaching staff and players voiced frustration regarding the officiating following their 2-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup semifinal. Coach Didier Deschamps, when pressed by reporters, alluded to the referee's performance without directly assigning blame for the loss.
"I don't want to say that just because we lost, but do you believe that the referee was up to the task to officiate a semifinal?" Deschamps asked following the match. The choice of Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton for the high-stakes game had reportedly raised some eyebrows prior to kickoff.
A key moment of contention appeared to be a penalty awarded to Spain in the 22nd minute. French fullback Lucas Digne's challenge on Spain's Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area resulted in the call. While acknowledging the foul occurred, player Maxence Lacroix suggested it should have been reviewed.
"Lucas is a pro. These things happen in football," Lacroix stated. "I think it should have been reviewed."
Deschamps, however, declined multiple opportunities to confirm if the penalty call was his primary point of contention. When asked to elaborate on his criticism of the officiating, he responded, "Well, look at the match," and later, "I will not fall into debating that."
Another incident saw Barton appear to overturn a foul call near the end of the first half, after French player Ousmane Dembélé went down on the edge of the penalty area and Spain protested. The reason for the reversal was not immediately clear.
Despite the officiating questions, the narrative that the referee solely determined the outcome was challenged. Reports indicated that France struggled to establish control of the match, and the 2-0 final score may have been generous to the losing side.
This is not the first time Barton has been involved in controversy during the tournament. Earlier in the World Cup, he issued a red card to Paraguay's Miguel Almirón for covering his mouth, a decision that drew significant attention on social media. The rule has reportedly not been applied similarly in other matches during the competition. Additionally, during a 2023 CONCACAF Nations League semifinal between the U.S. and Mexico, Barton handed out four red cards and ended the game prematurely due to anti-gay chanting from the crowd.
Only Lacroix and Rayan Cherki spoke to reporters after the match, with other French players potentially facing fines for not complying with mandatory media zone obligations.