Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton hits back at Deschamps: We earned our place

Published Jul 23, 08:49 AM UTC

Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton defended himself against harsh criticism from former France coach Didier Deschamps following France's 0-2 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-final. Deschamps had publicly questioned whether Barton had the level to officiate such a match, citing several decisions including a penalty awarded to Spain, a yellow card to Adrien Rabiot, and a free kick overturned. In an interview on ESPN's Jorge Ramos y su banda, Barton stated he was not affected by the comments, asserting that he and his team know how hard they fought to earn their place and that no criticism would make them doubt their legitimacy. Barton received strong support from FIFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina, who confirmed the referee was world-class. The article also lists specific grievances Deschamps reportedly had, including a non-call on Lamine Yamal and a penalty not given to Désiré Doué.

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