France’s World Cup campaign came to a screeching halt on Tuesday, with the Bleus falling 0-2 to Spain in the semifinals. Despite a flawless run to the final four—six straight wins since the tournament began—they were outclassed by Spain’s relentless collective strength and precision. This marked the third time in as many major tournaments that France has been eliminated at this stage by La Roja, following defeats at Euro 2024 and the 2025 Nations League.

Didier Deschamps, France’s head coach, didn’t mince words after the final whistle. While he acknowledged his team’s technical shortcomings—”We were below par technically. It’s our fault”—he also voiced doubts about the officiating. “I’ll ask a question: does the referee have the level to handle a semifinal? I won’t answer that. There were plenty of situations…,” he remarked.

He doubled down later on beIN Sports, stating, “If I say something, I’ll be seen as whining because we lost. But ask yourself: does the referee have the level for a semifinal? There was the penalty, but it’s not just about that—it’s the bigger picture. No personal grudge against tonight’s official, but think about it.”

“I don’t believe the referee favored one side”

Luis de la Fuente wasn’t about to let Deschamps’ comments slide. In a press conference, he fired back with a jab of his own: “When you don’t get the result you want, excuses follow… We’ve had our own tough moments with the referees, like against Uruguay. The officials are trying to let the game flow.”

He continued, “If Deschamps really said that… both teams had the same referee. I don’t think the referee favored one side. We had a goal disallowed for offside, but I’m not hung up on the refereeing. Everyone needs to improve: referees, VAR, all of us involved in this beautiful game. We must be better every single day.”

Rodri, Spain’s captain, added his perspective on the officiating, saying, “This is the third game in a row where we’ve dealt with these issues. There are 10 or 15 uncalled fouls. If they aren’t blown, defenders keep playing the same way. The leniency was obvious—especially today. But he [the referee] did a great job.”

Following a match where individual performances fell short and potential tactical missteps came under scrutiny, France will aim to salvage pride in the third-place playoff on Saturday (23:00), their final game under Deschamps’ leadership. Meanwhile, Spain will push for a second World Cup title (after 2010), facing either Argentina or England in the final.