French newspapers have sharply criticized World Cup referee Ilgiz Tantashev, with L'Equipe awarding him a brutal 1/10 rating for his handling of the last-16 match between France and Paraguay. The publication described Tantashev as a "complete disaster" and "out of his depth" for failing to clamp down on what was widely described as Paraguay's "dark arts" and "disgraceful" conduct during France's 1-0 victory.
Paraguay's aggressive approach, characterized by repeated fouls, feigned injuries, and attempts to provoke French players, drew condemnation from pundits and fans alike. BBC pundits labeled the South American team's behavior "embarrassing," noting that despite the physicality, not a single Paraguayan player received a booking. In contrast, three French players were cautioned, with one yellow card issued for an incident in stoppage time that L'Equipe felt contributed to a "feeling of persecution among the French."
L'Equipe's rare low rating for Tantashev highlighted specific instances where Paraguayan tactics went unpunished. These included alleged elbowing and palming of French players, as well as an attempt to get a French player sent off through play-acting. After France was awarded a decisive penalty, Paraguayan players were also seen attempting to scuff up the penalty spot before Kylian Mbappe took his kick.
"It wasn't simply a matter of letting the ball move freely, and this is where the management's approach revealed its contradictions," L'Equipe wrote. "The Paraguayans' simulations and time-wasting attempts also went unpunished by Ilgiz Tantashev."
France secured their quarter-final spot against Morocco thanks to Kylian Mbappe's penalty. Despite the contentious officiating and aggressive play, Mbappe acknowledged the need for France to adapt. "If we have to get our hands dirty, we’ll do it. Apologies for the expression," he said. "They thought we’d just turn up in tuxedos, make a few flashy moves and play a few passes. We know how to play rough football too. And that’s exactly what we did today - we won. We were even better than them at that."
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart was highly critical of Paraguay's actions, stating, "The Paraguayan players were an absolute disgrace tonight." He added, "I would never want to win that way, I would never want to play football that way and the referee didn't help in any of the circumstances." Micah Richards and Thomas Hitzlsperger echoed these sentiments, expressing disappointment and a loss of respect for the Paraguayan team's conduct. Hitzlsperger called the referee's performance "the worst I've seen in this tournament."
The match concluded with a physical confrontation between the two sets of players near the center circle. The tensions reportedly escalated after Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill threw a ball at Mbappe following a perceived snub of a handshake, though Gill later stated he had calmed down and only entered a heated moment.
Despite the controversy, France advanced, with their ability to maintain composure under pressure being highlighted as a crucial factor. L'Equipe noted that only two other referees had received a 1/10 rating since they began rating matches in 2016, both following Ligue 1 fixtures in 2024. Fans have called for Tantashev to be removed from further World Cup assignments following his performance.
