Didier Deschamps questioned whether referee Iván Barton was capable of handling a World Cup semi-final after a controversial penalty helped Spain secure a 2-0 victory over France.
The decisive incident arrived in the 22nd minute at Dallas Stadium. Lucas Digne attempted to control a high ball inside the French penalty area but failed to notice Lamine Yamal moving in behind him.
Yamal reached the ball first before Digne’s attempted clearance caught the Spanish winger on the leg. Barton immediately pointed to the spot, and Mikel Oyarzabal converted the penalty to give Spain a 1-0 lead.
The French players protested because the ball had struck Yamal’s arm moments before the foul. However, VAR allowed the decision to stand.
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According to FIFA’s official match report, Pedro Porro added Spain’s second goal in the 58th minute as Luis de la Fuente’s side booked their place in the World Cup final.
Why the handball was not punished
The television replays confirmed that the ball made contact with Yamal’s arm, but contact alone is not enough for a handball offence.
Referees must assess whether a player deliberately moved the arm towards the ball or made the body unnaturally bigger. In this case, Yamal’s arm remained tight against his torso.
“There is no doubt that the ball touches his arm because it hits the part of the forearm that players are not permitted to use,” Danish referee Michael Tykgaard told TV 2 Sport.
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“The next step is to assess whether the touch is deliberate, and in Yamal’s case, the arm is completely against the body.
“The only thing that could justify a free-kick would be if he deliberately played the ball with his arm, even though it was completely against the body and in a natural position.
“But that is not the case here because there is no movement of the arm, which is held against the body. Therefore, I cannot see anything deliberate, and there should be no free-kick. The decision is exactly as it should be.”
Tykgaard’s assessment was supported by several other referee experts.
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As explained by The Independent, ITV rules analyst Christina Unkel concluded that the contact was around Yamal’s sleeve and did not constitute a punishable handball.
“It would not be recalled back for a handling offence. The penalty should stay,” Unkel said.
Former international referees Saïd Ennjimi and Bruno Derrien reached the same conclusion, arguing that Yamal’s arm was in a natural position and did not increase the size of his body.
Digne punished for lack of awareness
Although the handball dominated the discussion, the clearest offence in the sequence was Digne’s late challenge.
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The France defender had turned towards his own goal and appeared unaware that Yamal was approaching. When Digne swung his leg to clear the ball, Yamal had already placed himself between the defender and possession.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville criticised Digne’s failure to recognise the danger.
“He has got to be aware of where he is, that he is going to gamble,” Neville said, as quoted by The Independent in its analysis of the decision.
“He does not even know he is there. He has not got a clue.”
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The foul gave Spain control of the semi-final and forced France to chase the match against a side that had already established dominance in midfield.
Deschamps turns attention to referee
Deschamps accepted that Spain had been technically superior, but he remained deeply dissatisfied with Barton’s performance.
“If I say something, I will look like a bad loser because we lost,” Deschamps told beIN Sports.
“But I ask whether the referee was up to the task of officiating a World Cup semi-final. There was the penalty, but it was not only that. It came on top of everything else.
“I have nothing against the referee tonight, but ask yourselves the question.”
The comments were reported by El País following France’s elimination, which also quoted Deschamps admitting that his team had fallen short technically.
“The players are devastated,” he said. “But we have to be logical. We were technically inferior. That is our responsibility.”
Spain make France pay
Oyarzabal’s penalty was not the only reason France were eliminated.
Spain controlled possession, restricted Kylian Mbappé and prevented the French attack from building momentum. France struggled to play through Spain’s midfield and repeatedly surrendered the ball with inaccurate passes.
Porro doubled the advantage after the interval, finishing a move involving Dani Olmo and effectively ending France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
Spain’s performance was described as deserved and tactically disciplined in The Guardian’s match report.
The penalty will nevertheless remain the defining controversy from the semi-final.
Deschamps believed it was part of a wider pattern of questionable officiating. The referee experts saw a legal arm position followed by a clear foul.
France may disagree with the interpretation, but under the current handball law, Barton had sufficient reason to let the penalty stand.
