Deschamps reveals Portugal's 2016 Euro winning goal would have been disallowed with VAR

Didier Deschamps revealed that an uncalled foul at the start of the play would have led to the disallowing of Eder’s goal in extra time during the Euro 2016 final, had video assistant refereeing been in place. The outgoing France manager made this disclosure in an interview with Ouest-France, reflecting on his fourteen years leading the French national team.

“I even learned at a FIFA meeting that Portugal’s goal would have been disallowed if there had been VAR, for a foul at the start of the play,” Deschamps said. He tempered the revelation, however: “That doesn’t change history.”

Asked which final left him with more regrets between Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup, the Basque coach rejected the very term regrets. “I don’t like to talk about regrets, but about very strong disappointments. 2016 in France, that hurts, because we hadn’t won a title since 2000. Fortunately, many players experienced 2018 afterwards,” he explained.

On the Doha final against Argentina, also lost, Deschamps felt the two defeats shared the same cruelty. “In hindsight, both finals are painful because they tip the wrong way for very little.” If one had to be singled out, he would lean towards 2022: “It’s a missed opportunity on a global scale.”

These comments come as France began their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with a friendly match against Côte d’Ivoire in Nantes. Deschamps, who will step down before the tournament, will have managed France for fourteen years, winning the 2018 World Cup and reaching two other major finals.