Didier Deschamps, head coach of the French national team, stirred controversy with his comments after the "Roosters" loss to Spain in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, as he hinted at reservations about the officiating performance, while acknowledging Spain's superiority.

Deschamps said in his remarks after the match: "I will ask a question and I will not answer it... Was the referee competent enough to officiate a World Cup semi-final?"

Related news Despite his questioning of the refereeing, the French coach confirmed that Spain was the technically superior side throughout the match, noting that his players could not match their opponents. He added: "We must admit that we were inferior to them technically. Spain imposed its control over the course of the match, was the better side, and deserved to win and qualify."