Deschamps slams referee after France's World Cup semifinal defeat

France coach Didier Deschamps criticised the performance of Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton following France's 2‑0 loss to Spain in the World Cup semifinal, questioning whether the official was suitable for a match of that importance. He described several decisions as questionable and asked, “Is this referee at the level of a World Cup semifinal?”

FIFA Refereeing Committee president Pierluigi Collina responded, defending the officiating standards and stating, “Our referees are all world‑class.” The exchange added to the post‑match controversy surrounding the French team's defeat.