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France head coach Didier Deschamps brought his 14-year tenure with the national side to a close following a semifinal elimination at the hands of Spain in the 2026 World Cup. Les Bleus failed to deliver their best, Spain performed brilliantly, yet Deschamps still harbored lingering concerns over the match officials.
Refereeing has remained a recurring subject throughout this World Cup, from U.S. border authorities blocking Somalia's Omar Artan from entering the country before a single match was played, to Egypt filing an official complaint with FIFA over the officiating during its dramatic defeat to Argentina.
Deschamps appeared unconvinced that Spain warranted a penalty after Lucas Digne caught Lamine Yamal with his foot while attempting to clear. "It's not just the penalty in question, it's an accumulation of things," he said in the aftermath.
"I'll pose a question, and I won't answer it myself: 'Is the referee capable of handling a World Cup semifinal?' We've encountered a few of those situations, and I won't give an answer. I'm not saying this because we lost, but there have been certain situations … often going against us."
The referee in question was Iván Barton, who has officiated eight World Cup matches across 2022 and 2026. He has held FIFA referee status since 2018, though his regular duties officiating in El Salvador's Primera División may have been a harsh reason behind Deschamps' grievances.
Among the other "situations" France encountered during the tournament—though Deschamps did not elaborate—was the round of 16, in which Paraguay committed 13 fouls compared to France's 11 yet received no yellow cards. Meanwhile, three French players were booked, and an appeal against the card issued to Michael Olise—following the precedent FIFA set during the Folarin Balogun affair—was turned down.
"There is clearly a great deal of disappointment. The players are crushed because we had lofty ambitions," Deschamps added, acknowledging his side's standing as tournament favorites.
Kylian Mbappé Hits Out at Tactics
Kylian Mbappé, who must now wait until 2030 for another shot at breaking the World Cup's all-time scoring record that Lionel Messi could yet push even further, voiced his frustration with France's approach to the game.
"We were three against two in midfield and against Spain, that's difficult," the Real Madrid forward complained. "Fabián [Ruiz] and Rodri had all the time in the world on the ball. There was a breakdown in communication on the press. I think we should have gone man-to-man and forced them to run with us."
Mbappé said France "didn't play the game we wanted, technically, tactically," seemingly directing some of the blame toward his teammates as well as Deschamps. "When you don't execute what's required in a World Cup semifinal, you don't come out on top. Spain stuck to their game plan and what they typically do. They like to control possession and the tempo. Our plan was to press them high up the pitch."
Deschamps appeared to concur, noting that France "were a step below technically against a team that knew exactly what they were doing." He added, "it's primarily our fault."
Didier Deschamps Proud of Everything
It had been known since as far back as January 2025 that Deschamps intended to step down from his role as France manager once the team's 2026 World Cup journey concluded. That moment has now arrived.
Deschamps was an icon as a player, leading France to both World Cup and European Championship triumphs within two years in 1998 and 2000. He took over as manager in 2012 and guided the side to the Euro 2016 final. Two years on, Deschamps became only the third individual to win the World Cup as both player and manager when he orchestrated France's triumph in 2018.
A UEFA Nations League title followed in 2020–21, before France came agonizingly close to becoming the first team in six decades to retain the World Cup, only to be denied by an Emiliano Martínez extra-time save and a penalty shootout loss to Argentina.
At this tournament, France shed the cautious, pragmatic approach that had defined Deschamps' previous campaigns and appeared destined to cruise to glory by July 19. It was not to be.
"Now is not the time to discuss the future," he said. "On a personal level, it doesn't matter whether I exit a tournament at the semifinal or final stage. I am incredibly happy. I am very proud of everything we have achieved to reach this point and to win a World Cup—to elevate the French team to the very highest level.
"I have been fortunate as a player. I have savored wonderful moments. Today is not one of those moments. We must accept it without losing sight of everything we have been through together."
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His successor is one of football's worst-kept secrets. Zinedine Zidane has been patiently waiting in the wings for years for this position to open up—ever since his second departure from Real Madrid in 2021. The moment has finally arrived, and it was reported back in March that a verbal agreement is already in place.
But given what Deschamps accomplished over 14 years, whoever follows faces an enormously difficult task.