Didier Deschamps admitted France were second best against Spain but still questioned whether referee Iván Barton was ready for the demands of a World Cup semi-final.
France’s attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final ended with a 2-0 defeat at Dallas Stadium in Arlington on Tuesday, July 14.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal in the 22nd minute. Pedro Porro then doubled Spain’s lead shortly before the hour mark, completing a controlled performance from Luis de la Fuente’s side.
France will now contest the third-place match, while Spain await either England or Argentina in Sunday’s final.
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Deschamps questions referee’s performance
Deschamps accepted that France had failed to reach their usual technical level and had created too little against a well-organised Spanish side.
However, he was also unhappy with several refereeing decisions, including the penalty awarded following Digne’s challenge on Yamal.
“Was the referee at the required level to officiate a World Cup semi-final?” Deschamps asked, as quoted by L’Équipe.
The France coach declined to answer his own question or identify every incident that had frustrated him.
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Deschamps nevertheless stressed that the officials were not the principal reason for the defeat. He acknowledged that Spain had controlled the match more effectively and that France were less dangerous in attack than they had been throughout the tournament.
France produced an expected-goals total of only 0.3. According to Opta data cited by Foot Mercato, it was their lowest figure in a World Cup match since the company’s records began in 1966.
Spain extend remarkable unbeaten run
Spain’s victory extended their unbeaten sequence to 37 matches, equalling the record set by Italy between 2018 and 2021.
As described by the Associated Press, Spain have not lost since a friendly defeat to Colombia in March 2024 and have conceded only once during the current World Cup.
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De la Fuente’s side controlled the central areas against France, with Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo repeatedly finding space around Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni.
France had entered the semi-final with one of the tournament’s strongest attacks, but Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise were largely kept away from dangerous positions.
Spain can now set a new unbeaten record by avoiding defeat in Sunday’s final at New York New Jersey Stadium.
FIFA plans extended halftime spectacle
Attention has also turned to FIFA’s plans for the first halftime show in the history of the men’s World Cup final.
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The musical performance itself is expected to last approximately 11 minutes. However, the time required to construct and remove the stage could reportedly extend the complete halftime interval to around 30 minutes.
As reported by The Times, broadcasters expect the longer break to provide enough time to show the entire performance while still analysing the opening half.
Such an interval would exceed the usual limit contained in football’s Laws of the Game.
Under Law 7 published by the International Football Association Board, players are entitled to a halftime interval that must not exceed 15 minutes. The competition regulations must state the length of the break, which can only be altered with the referee’s permission.
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FIFA has previously extended a halftime interval for entertainment purposes. The break during the 2025 Club World Cup final at the same stadium lasted approximately 24 minutes.
Global stars confirmed for show
Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS will headline the performance on Sunday, July 19.
According to FIFA’s official announcement, Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay will also appear.
The show has been curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
The final will be held at New York New Jersey Stadium, the tournament name for MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm local time.
Although the entertainment programme is unprecedented for a World Cup final, the possibility of doubling the traditional interval has generated criticism from supporters concerned about the increasing Americanisation and commercialisation of the tournament.
England and Argentina meet in semi-final
Before the final, England and Argentina will renew one of international football’s most celebrated rivalries in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The match begins at 21:00 CEST, with the winner advancing to face Spain.
England and Argentina have previously met five times at the World Cup. Their most famous encounter came in the 1986 quarter-finals, when Diego Maradona scored both his controversial “Hand of God” goal and one of the competition’s most celebrated individual efforts.
According to England Football’s history of the rivalry, England have won three of the countries’ five previous World Cup meetings.
Thomas Tuchel expects another match shaped by tension and sudden changes in momentum.
“It’s a big rivalry,” Tuchel said, as quoted by England Football.
“We expect an intense match, we expect an emotional match.”
Tuchel confirmed that Declan Rice is available after recovering from the illness that affected him before England’s quarter-final victory over Norway. Jordan Henderson is unavailable through injury, while Jarell Quansah remains suspended.
Argentina, the defending champions, are attempting to reach a second consecutive final. England are chasing their first appearance in the deciding match since winning the tournament in 1966.
