France entered the semi-final stage with an unbeaten streak of six consecutive wins. Yet their World Cup dream ended abruptly against a dominant Spain side. This marked the third time in recent years that France has fallen short against Spain in major tournaments, following defeats at Euro 2024 and the 2025 Nations League.

Didier Deschamps admitted France’s technical inferiority after the match, stating, “We were below par technically. It’s our fault.” However, he also expressed doubts about the referee’s ability to handle such a high-stakes game. “I’ll ask this question: does the referee have the level to officiate a semi-final? I won’t answer it myself. There were several questionable decisions…”

He expanded on his concerns in a later interview: “If I speak up, I’ll be labeled a complainer because we lost. But ask yourselves if this referee had the level for a semi-final. There was the penalty, but that’s not all—there were other issues as well. I have no personal grudge against tonight’s referee, but consider this question.”

“I don’t believe the referee favored either team”

Luis de la Fuente responded with a sharp retort. “When things don’t go your way, people often look for excuses… We also faced tough refereeing moments, like against Uruguay. Referees sometimes let play continue to avoid interrupting the flow.”

He continued, “If Deschamps really said that… Both teams experienced the same officiating. I don’t believe the referee favored either side. Spain had a goal disallowed for offside, but I’m not dwelling on the refereeing. Everyone must improve—referees, VAR, and even us. We all need to strive for better every day in this beautiful game.”

Rodri, Spain’s captain, also weighed in on the refereeing debate. “This is the third game where we’ve dealt with these situations. They’re talking about 10 or 15 uncalled fouls. If fouls aren’t called, defenders keep playing the same way. The leniency was obvious today—especially today. But he [the referee] did a great job overall.”

France, plagued by lackluster individual performances and potential tactical missteps by Deschamps, will aim to salvage pride in the third-place playoff on Saturday (23:00 CET), Deschamps’ final match in charge. Spain, meanwhile, will push for their second World Cup title (after 2010) against either Argentina or England.