Didier Deschamps has expressed that he is not worried about the decision to assign Argentinian officials to officiate the upcoming World Cup quarter-final match between France and Morocco on Thursday, a scenario that could lead to a rematch of the 2022 final against Argentina. “We just have to accept it,” he stated. “My focus is on the match against Morocco, not the referee.”
The head coach of France demonstrated a typically combative demeanor during his press conference, spending a significant amount of time at the end explaining his reluctance to respond to one more question before eventually giving a somewhat irritated answer. He took the opportunity to make a pointed remark regarding the criticism aimed at French referee François Letexier, particularly from some members of the North African media, following Letexier’s officiating in the last-16 match between Argentina and Egypt on Tuesday.
“Let’s hope our referees perform as well as Monsieur Letexier did,” he remarked. Deschamps also dismissed inquiries from a Moroccan journalist about a potential penalty that could have been given for a foul on Sofiane Boufal during the 2022 World Cup semi-final between the two teams.
Integrity has been a hot topic, especially with the selection of Facundo Tello as the referee and the presence of two Argentinian assistant referees, alongside an Argentinian fourth official. This choice raised eyebrows, particularly after Argentina reacted strongly to a misunderstood comment made by Kylian Mbappé prior to the last tournament, which contributed to a racist chant during their victory celebrations in Doha. The period following that event has been marked by sharp exchanges from both sides.
“There has been a certain bitterness in the years since the last final, but that’s part of the sport,” noted Robin Risser, France’s reserve goalkeeper, while attempting to downplay the growing tensions on social media. “If these referees are here, it’s because they are qualified for the competition.”
Meanwhile, the fallout from France’s intense last-16 victory over Paraguay continues, with Celeste Amarilla, a senator from Paraguay’s Liberal Radical party, having deleted social media posts in which she racially insulted Kylian Mbappé, who scored the decisive penalty for France. Amarilla has since called for an apology from Mbappé after he labeled her “a despicable woman” not deserving of her position. This incident has drawn condemnation from both the Paraguayan government and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with French authorities now investigating the matter.
France’s players exhibited commendable composure during the match against Paraguay, and their football federation has expressed its disdain for the circumstances surrounding the one-match ban of USA forward Folarin Balogun. This ban, which was suspended following an appeal against a yellow card given to Michael Olise, came about after Paraguay’s Matías Galarza theatrically fell to the ground, despite video evidence indicating that Olise had merely tugged at his shirt.
Deschamps confirmed that FIFA has upheld the yellow card, indicating there would be no application of article 27 of the disciplinary code, contrary to the situation involving Balogun, which seemed to have been influenced by an external intervention.
The France head coach emphasized the challenge Morocco will present, stating, “They are not like Paraguay. We need to be highly effective because Morocco is a formidable team. The stakes are higher as we progress. A strong mindset is crucial, as it can lead to victory or defeat.”
As Deschamps prepares to step down from his role after this tournament, the quarter-final may mark his final match as the head coach of France. “My only focus is on ensuring we perform well,” he concluded. “That is my sole motivation.”
