15 July 2026
Deschamps Concedes Spain Were Simply Better in Dallas
France's coach admitted his side were outclassed and questioned the referee after a painful 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain.
France coach Didier Deschamps did not mince his words after his side's World Cup semi-final exit in Dallas, according to Reuters. He acknowledged plainly that Spain had shown something more on the night and that his players were devastated in the dressing room.
Despite the defeat, Deschamps urged people not to dismiss everything France had achieved during the tournament, describing the squad as a group of true competitors who felt the pain of a journey cut short.
The coach also took aim at the officiating, raising doubts about whether Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton had performed to the standard a World Cup semi-final demands, and suggesting several decisions across the match had been open to debate.
France now prepare for Saturday's third-place playoff, with their opponents to be determined by the second semi-final between England and Argentina.
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