Read 3 minutes15 Jul 2026 03:38 PM IST
While coaching France Didier Deschamps blamed referees for France’s 2-0 loss to SpainMidfielder Ryan Cherky sang a different tune after the match as Les Blues lost the match. The Manchester City player also said that Spain played the way they wanted but France couldn’t which led to the defeat.
“It’s a big disappointment. Because today we lost to ourselves. We didn’t lose to the referee, we didn’t lose to Spain, we just lost to ourselves. Here, you know, we know, we scared everyone. The only team that was able to eliminate us was ourselves and that’s what happened today,” Cherky said.
“I’m just going to speak from my own experience. When I arrived, I didn’t think Spain was a good team. However, when I was on the bench, yes, it’s true, they moved the ball well, they played in their own half, they played the way they like to play football. We didn’t play the way we like to play football. But until today, when we thought we played football, they were unusual. They wanted to and we didn’t,” he added.
“No referee, no Spain, we just lost by ourselves” 😬
Ryan Cherky says France have only themselves to blame after being knocked out of the World Cup by Spain 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/899lOkvJwm
– Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) 15 July 2026
France coach Deschamps, who led France to glory in 2018, the final in 2022 and now the semi-finals in 2026, questioned the level of refereeing in the match.
Clearly unimpressed with Salvadoran official Ivan Arcides Barton Cisneros, who took charge of the heavyweight bout, Deschamps questioned his ability to play in the World Cup semi-finals.
“If I say anything, I will look hurt because we lost,” Deschamps told reporters after the match. “But I ask you: does the referee have the job of handling a semi-final? There is a penalty, but that’s not all; it adds to everything else. I have nothing against the referee tonight, but ask yourself the question.”