Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s director of refereeing, defended the officiating in the semifinal match between France and Spain, amid criticism from French coach Didier Deschamps.
After Spain’s 2-0 victory in Arlington, Texas, Deschamps questioned the competence of Salvadoran referee Iván Barton to officiate a World Cup semifinal.
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“If I say anything, I’ll seem like a sore loser because we didn’t win,” Deschamps remarked. “But I ask: Is the referee suited for a semifinal? It’s not just the penalty; it’s the overall performance. I bear no ill will toward the referee tonight, but consider the question.”
In response to Deschamps’ remarks, Collina, a former World Cup final referee, stated, “Yes, absolutely,” asserting that “our referees are world class.”
Collina has previously defended referees at the World Cup in response to criticism from the Egyptian team following their defeat to Argentina.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot after Lamine Yamal drew a foul, while Pedro Porro added another goal, securing Spain a spot in their second World Cup final.
Instead of aiming for their third consecutive World Cup final, France is set to compete in the third-place match in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday.
“Spain has defended well,” Deschamps acknowledged. “They closed off spaces, and we made some technical errors, making it difficult to create scoring opportunities when our technical level isn’t up to par.”
Spain will face either defending champions Argentina or England on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just across the river from New York City.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.