Didier Deschamps questions the referee, but France had bigger problems against Spain
Didier Deschamps asked one question after France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain.
“Was the referee fit to officiate a semi-final?”
The head coach of France never answered that himself.
Instead, Deschamps repeatedly returned to the harsher truth, admitting his side were technically second-best and lacked the attacking quality to trouble the Spanish side, who controlled the game from start to finish.
While Les Bleus felt a few decisions went against them, the semi-final revealed problems that had little to do with officiating. Spain dictated possession, winning the midfield battle, neutralizing Michael Olis’ influence between the lines and leaving Kylian Mbappe to feed off turnovers as France struggled to create meaningful chances.
“I’m not saying that because we lost. There were a few situations that went against us,” said Deschamps.
“But the first reason is that we were a little bit below our level.
“The players are devastated because we had big ambitions. We have to admit that we were a level below today. Technically, we came against a team that dominated the game. We were less dangerous offensively than we could have been.”
FRANCE DESTROYED
Deschamps refused to let one disappointing night define France’s tournament but admitted there could be no complaints about the result.
France vs Spain 2026 FIFA World Cup Semi Final: Highlighting | Message
“I don’t want to throw away everything we’ve done,” he said. “But in this match Spain showed something more.
Second-half substitute Rayan Cherki echoed his coach’s assessment, admitting France were unable to disrupt Spain’s rhythm.
“We knew their main strength was their ability to fake tempo,” Cherki said. “Sometimes we should have done the same. It was harder than we expected.”
France entered the semi-finals as one of the tournament favourites, but found themselves chasing both the ball and the play against a first team that could match their individual qualities.
SPAIN DISCONNECT SUPPLIES
He owes a lot to Spain for their success in neutralizing Michael Olis.
Despite starting on the right, Olise’s impact at the World Cup came from drifting into central areas, linking the midfield with the attack and creating congestion around Mbappe. Spain ensured that these spaces simply did not exist.
Rodri anchored a disciplined midfield that repeatedly denied Olise the space he thrived in throughout the tournament. Instead of receiving half-turns and running into defenders, Bayern Munich’s playmaker was forced into wider positions, safer passes and rushed decisions.
The numbers reflected Spain’s tactical execution. According to Opta, Olise completed just 26 of his 34 passes (76 percent), failed to complete a single dribble and was repeatedly crowded out whenever he got inside. Map of Michael Olis’ pass against Spain in the World Cup semi-final. (Image: Reuters)
With France’s main playmaker out of the game, the attack lost its fluidity.
Ousmane Dembele rarely isolated his full-back, Bradley Barcola struggled to stretch the Spanish defense and substitute Desire Doue failed to bring any urgency. Mbappe, meanwhile, spent much of the evening waiting for crosses that never came as Spain consistently cut off supplies before France could launch sustained attacks.
A LOST MIDFIELD BATTLE
France’s shortcomings extended beyond the front line.
Deschamps’ midfield pairing struggled to cope with Spain’s movement and composure in possession.
Adrien Rabiot’s early booking blunted his aggression, while Aurelien Tchouameni, who returned after missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury, lacked the rhythm to make an impact.
Spain’s control of midfield meant that France were constantly reacting rather than dictating. Their pressing was disjointed, turnovers came too easily and every transition seemed to favor the European champions. Tchouameni had a poor match against France which resulted in their semi-final exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Image: Reuters)
Mikel Oyarzabal’s first-half penalty rewarded Spain’s early dominance before Pedro Porro punished another defensive lapse after the break to seal victory.
For a team that arrived in Dallas with genuine ambitions of lifting the World Cup, France were completely outmaneuvered by an opponent who looked sharper tactically, technically and mentally.
The immediate post-match discussion was dominated by Deschamps’ question about the referee. However, his own answers told the real story. The World Cup campaign in France did not end due to the officiating. It ended with Spain being better in every area that decided the semi-final.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
15 Jul 2026 04:05 IST