Didier Deschamps Pointing Finger at Referee Masks Real Reason France Lost to Spain

The 2018 champion exited the 2026 tournament with a whimper.

Didier Deschamps took charge of his last France match. | Lars Baron/Getty Images

France manager Didier Deschamps saw his 14-year reign in charge of the national team come to an end with defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semifinals. Les Bleus underperformed, the Spanish were excellent, but Deschamps still had a nagging itch about the officiating.

Refereeing has been a constant topic of conversation throughout this World Cup, from U.S. border officials denying entry to Somalia’s Omar Artan before a ball had even been kicked, to Egypt lodging a formal complaint with FIFA about the refereeing in its dramatic loss to Argentina.

Deschamps didn’t appear to be of the opinion that Spain deserved a penalty for Lucas Digne striking Lamine Yamal with his foot as he attempted to clear the ball. “It’s not just the penalty in question, it’s an accumulation of things,” he said afterwards.

“I ask a question, and I’m not going to answer it: ‘Is the referee good enough to officiate a World Cup semi-final?’ We’ve had a few of those situations, and I’m not going to answer them. I’m not saying this because we lost, but there have been certain situations … often unfavourable to us.”

The match official in question Iván Barton, who has refereed eight World Cup across 2022 and 2026. He has been a FIFA referee since 2018, although his day job officiating in the Primera División de El Salvador might harshly be a reason why Deschamps found issue.

Among the other “situations” France experienced during the World Cup—although Deschamps did not specify—was the round of 16, in which Paraguay committed 13 fouls to France’s 11 but received no yellow cards. In contrast, three French players were cautioned and an appeal into the card shown to Michael Olise—after FIFA set a precedent with the Folarin Balogun saga—was rejected.

“There is obviously a lot of disappointment. The players are devastated because we had high ambitions,” Deschamps added, addressing his team’s status as tournament favorite.

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Kylian Mbappé Hits Out at Tactics

Kylian Mbappé, who will now have to wait until 2030 to break the World Cup’s all-time goal record that Lionel Messi could yet further extend, wasn’t happy about how France approached the match.

“We were three against two in midfield and against Spain, that’s hard,” the Real Madrid striker moaned. “Fabián [Ruiz] and Rodri had plenty of time to play. There was a lack of communication on the press. I think we should have done man-to-man press and forced them to run with us.”

Mbappé said France “didn’t play the game we wanted, technically, tactically,” appearing at least to apportion some blame to his teammates as well as Deschamps. “When you don’t do what you have to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win. Spain respected their game plan and what the team usually does. They like to control the ball and the tempo. Our plan was to press them high.”

Deschamps seemed to agree in that France “were a step below technically against a team that knew what they were doing.” He added, “it’s primarily our fault.”

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Didier Deschamps Proud of Everything

Deschamps brought the World Cup home in 2018. | FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

It was known as early as January 2025 that Deschamps planned to leave his role as France manager at the conclusion of the team’s participation in the 2026 World Cup. That time is now here.

Deschamps was a legend as a player, captaining France to World Cup and European Championship glory in the space of two years in 1998 and 2000. He was appointed manager in 2012 and led the team to the final of Euro 2016. Two summers later, Deschamps became only the third person to win the World Cup as both a player and manager when he masterminded France’s 2018 success.

A UEFA Nations League title followed in 2020–21, before France got to within an extra-time Emiliano Martínez save and a penalty shootout defeat to Argentina of becoming the first team in six decades to retain the trophy.

At this tournament, France released the pragmatic handbrake that had Deschamps had governed with in previous years and looked set to waltz to victory come July 19. It was not to be.

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“It’s not time to talk about the future," he said. “It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semifinal or final. I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we’ve done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup—to take the French team to the highest level.

“I have been lucky as a player. I have enjoyed happy moments. Today is not such a moment. We must accept it without forgetting everything we experienced.”

His replacement is one of soccer’s worst kept secrets. Zinedine Zidane has been waiting in the wings for literal years for this job to become available—since his second Real Madrid exit in 2021. The time has finally come and it was reported in March that a verbal agreement is in place.

But given what Deschamps did over 14 years, it is a tough act to follow.

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