Deschamps criticizes Salvadoran referee after France's elimination; Collina and Hugo Sanchez hit back

France was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday evening, losing 0-2 to Spain in the semi-final. Didier Deschamps, visibly affected by his team’s powerlessness, chose to point to the refereeing after the match, publicly questioning the level of Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton: “Does the referee have the level to referee a World Cup semi-final?”

These statements immediately provoked reactions in Latin America. Mexican legend Hugo Sanchez, speaking on ESPN, did not mince words: “First of all, you must show respect and professionalism. The fact that you denigrate a Salvadoran referee seems completely unacceptable to me. It’s odious, to the point that you must offer a public apology for this nonsense you said, and apologize to this referee, who was excellent throughout this World Cup.”

The former Real Madrid striker, who learned shortly after that Deschamps was stepping down as national team manager, added without restraint: “You’re looking for excuses to justify something you didn’t foresee in your strategy or tactics. Now you’re going to leave the national team and you deserve it for disrespecting the referee. I can’t stand it!”

Pierluigi Collina, former international referee and current head of refereeing at FIFA, also wanted to respond directly to the French manager’s criticism. His response, sent to L’Équipe, is unambiguous: “Yes, absolutely. Our referees are world-class!”

The French defeat, which occurred on July 14, France’s national holiday, makes the elimination all the more bitter. The result — 0-2 — reflects according to observers Spain’s superiority throughout the match. Deschamps, whose departure from the national team is now confirmed, leaves behind a diplomatic controversy that transcends the boundaries of sport.